A Pilot Study of Interventricular Septal Puncture for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy to Treat Heart Failure

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is known to result in significant improvement in the symptoms of selected patients with heart failure, and to reduce hospital admission and death rates in these patients. CRT can improve cardiac function by improving the coordination of the heart beat using a special pacemaker. This requires a wire in the coronary sinus, one of the veins running around the outside of the heart, to stimulate the outside of the left ventricle (main pumping chamber). There are two particular issues with this standard technique. In some patients it is not possible to get the wire into the coronary sinus due to difficult vein shapes, and in others the wire can be put there, but it does not end up in a suitable position to act on the heart enough to improve heart function. This is thought to be a major part of the reasons why one in four patients does not improve with CRT ("non-responders"). The investigators have developed a novel method of pacing the left ventricle of the heart by putting the wire through a tiny hole made in the muscle between the left and right ventricles and pacing the inside surface of the left ventricular chamber. This will allow patients in whom the coronary sinus cannot be used to have CRT. The investigators will also offer it to patients who have not improved with CRT, as there is evidence that they may respond to this procedure due to physiological benefits from pacing the inside rather than the outside and also the ability to steer the lead anywhere on the inner surface. The investigators have performed this new procedure in a small number of patients already. This study will allow closer follow-up of more patients, and also investigation of ways to optimize results of the procedure for these patients.