Evaluation of Saline-Enhanced Radiofrequency Needle-Tip Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia (SERF VT CANADA Trial)

Endocardial catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) may fail owing to the inability to deliver transmural lesions. Saline-enhanced radiofrequency (SERF) ablation uses a needle-tip catheter that is placed at varying depths into the myocardial tissue and heated saline solution is injected along with radiofrequency power (RF), creating fully transmural lesions. We report the first in-human SERF ablation for VT in Canada.

Twenty-five patients with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy, with recurrent monomorphic drug-refractory VT who had failed a prior catheter ablation underwent SERF ablation in 3 different centres in Canada. After a voltage map, the mapping catheter was replaced with the needle-tipped ablation catheter, which was located perpendicular to the myocardium and extended either 6 or 8 mm into the tissue. Sterile saline solution was infused at a flow rate of 10 mL/min and at 60 °C, and 20-50 W RF was used.

Baseline left ventricular ejection fraction was 33.3 ± 8.6%, mean age was 69.5 ± 6.4 years; 92% were male. From 43 clinical VTs induced, 42 were ablated and 266 SERF lesions were delivered (10.6 ± 4.9 per patient). Of the 42 treated clinical VTs, 41 VTs (98%) were noninducible and 24 patients (96%) had their VT eliminated. At 6 months' follow-up, 42% of patients were free from VT and there was a 73% reduction in shocks.

SERF ablation is feasible and permits control of symptomatic monomorphic VT in drug-refractory patients with a prior failed ablation.