Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) from the muscular pumping chambers of the heart (ventricles) can cause death. Ventricular arrhythmias commonly occurs due to scar tissue formed after a heart attack, which has abnormal properties that initiate and sustain ventricular arrhythmias. Medications are ineffective for controlling ventricular arrhythmias and many patients at high risk receive implanted cardiac defibrillators to prevent sudden death. While this saves lives, it commits an expanding cohort of patients with recurrent ventricular arrhythmias to painful and traumatising defibrillator shocks. Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure where heart scar tissue causing ventricular arrhythmias is treated with electrical cautery. However, many scars are too deep to reach, leading to a ventricular arrhythmia recurrence rate of >50% post-procedure.
This research project will look to develop new technologies to improve the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation of scar tissue and reduce sympathetic activation of the heart to better control ventricular arrhythmias.
Last updated17 January 2023