heart2222 - I am in the follow up stage of a similar trial. I had an ablation in December with another brand of pressure-sensitive catheter. I was asked by my EP to join because he is one of the primary researchers in my area. I asked him if he liked using it (he had already done about 15 ablations with it) and he said he loved it because it gave him much more accuracy and control during the procedure. I figured if the guy loves the stuff he's using, and feels he works better with it, then why not. I'd talk to your EP and find out his opinion and experience with the new catheter.

If you decide to do this do they pay for all or part of the ablation? I would want to know if I were the first one they were trying it on, and how many ablations the doc has done.

I am in the medical field and would never ever be part of any clinical trial involving any procedure so complicated and full of very serious risks as ablation even if they paid me over and above the costs!

No pay is involved. In fact they need an echo done which they said my insurance will pay. I already had 2 done recently , so they can use those.
hughes-how about that? You have already had your ablation done using this. Is it the exact brand they will use on me or a similar one? Are you a fib free? Was it successful? HOw was your after ablation pain or discomfort?
I was thinking of waiting to get an ablation after they are using these pressure sensitive catheters. Now they have this study, so I'm tempted.
I hear Bill Bass's concerns and that is in the back of my mind also. I don't know...

I had a carotid stent inserted as part of a trial. This was late in the testing and I believe the doctor was very skilled. There was no charge for the procedure; Medicare and my secndary insurance paid for the hospital. This was 10 years ago. I was astonished that the hospital costs alone were over $40,000.

The procedure was successful beyond my hopes. It changed my life.

usramajor,
How did you make the decision whether to take part in the trial or not? I could do it and regret it or regret not doing it. Hard to decide.

Some things to consider... you sign your life away.. literally... with a clinical trial. You cannot sue if something goes horribly wrong.

My feeling is that unless you're going to die (like with cancer) and have exhausted all other treatments.. I would not consent to being experimented on.

heart, what does your EP have to say about the trial?

I wish the hospital wouldn't have thrown you such a curveball so close to your procedure! These decisions are stressful enough already...

With that said, I would probably trust my EP if he was involved in the trial and had confidence in the new procedure/equipment.
Praying for you!

I understand your feedback totally, island and ohioafibber! I'm already to stressed about this procedure and now they throw a curve ball to me. My EP is out of town until next week. It's very hard to get ahold of him, I usually get directed to his nurses. I met him once for our initial meeting and briefly for my Tikosyn load. He's very nice, but very busy. I would think if he's part of the study, he would encourage me to participate.
island-you are also right.
But what if it's the wave of the future and I turn down a chance to get a better result???? Of course I could end up in the control group and not get it anyway.

I'm so confused.

I googled it. not much info there. I would be part of the study which would provide more info on it.
Theoretically, it sounds like a very good idea and sounds like it would lead to more success. Theory doesn't always result in reality though...
AHHHHHHHHHHHH! What do I do????

I am in the medical field also, I wouldn't want to be part of the medical trial also, esp with the type of procedure you would be having. Whatever you do decide, good luck and best wishes!

Too much involved with the procedure anyway, let alone adding uncertainties, huh?

I don't know what I'm going to do yet.

My opinion... for me...

IF I was going to have an ablation... IF...

I would go with the proven EPs with deep experience using what equipment and procedures they gained that experience with. If they have a high success rate doing that, why would you want to "gamble" with some new stuff. First of all, the trial may be comparing the tools that are used... it is still an ablation and if it is new, there is a learning curve. Second, you don't control which group you will be in... the people running the trial do. I can't fathom putting myself in a position where the choice of method is based on anything other than what is the best procedure for my case.

In my opinion, trials and studies are for cases of last resort... like you have "incureable cancer and maybe, just maybe an experimental drug might work."

Finally, this is your heart. I might join a trial for finger twitch therapy, but nothing having to do with my heart, unless I was a hopeless case. My decision wouldn't be made on money factors either.

Here's a little story:

Somewhere I read that an eye surgeon and a cardiologist were talking... the eye surgeon told the cardiologist he had a harder job because of the intricacies of eye surgery and the possibility of blindness, to which the cardiologist replied... "yea well, patients have 2 eyes, they only have one heart.".

Good point, Petey!

But what if one year from now, this new cath is the mainstay and I could have had a 50% chance to get it? What if it could increase my chances of a successful ablation after ONE try?

But the flip side is also true which you addressed.

The problem is there is very little on google about it. Hence the study they want me to be in.

Buy a lottery ticket or go to Atlantic City and have a ball. If you lose, so what. If you win big... buy the heart center doing the trial.

If they don't approve the new procedure/equipment, you lose nothing.

If they approve it, you can pay for/use your insurance to get the new "proven" technique. BTW, it might get approved based on tricky definitions of "success".