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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05666713

NHLBI Transmural Electrosurgery LeafLet Traversal And Laceration Evaluation (TELLTALE) BASILICA-TAVR Trial

Background:

Replacing a valve in the heart can save many people's lives. The procedure is called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). In rare cases, a flap of tissue called a leaflet can shift during TAVR; the leaflet may block blood flow to the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle. About 50% of people who experience this problem will die. To reduce this risk, doctors will cut this leaflet during TAVR. But the tools used to cut the leaflet were originally designed for other purposes. Using these tools during TAVR can be complicated and risky. Researchers want to make TAVR safer.

Objective:

To test a new device (TELLTALE) designed specifically for use during TAVR.

Eligibility:

People aged 21 years and older who are undergoing TAVR and who are at high risk of coronary artery obstruction.

Design:

Participants will be screened. They will have routine tests that are done before undergoing TAVR.

Before the procedure, participants will complete a questionnaire. They will talk about how their heart disease affects their quality of life. Their physical abilities and their risk of stroke will be assessed.

Participants will be admitted to the hospital for TAVR. They will be placed under general anesthesia or moderate sedation. The procedure will be performed using the TELLTALE guidewire system.

Participants will repeat the tests of their physical abilities after the procedure. They will also repeat the questionnaire about their quality of life. These will be repeated again at a follow-up visit in 30 days.

Participants will have a final study visit after 90 days. This visit may be in person or remote.

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Key information

Conditions

Valvular Heart Disease Aortic Valve Failure Body Temperature Changes Cardiovascular Diseases Heart Diseases Heart Valve Diseases Heat Stress Disorders Hyperthermia Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Wounds and Injuries

Age range

21 year–109 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

California Pacific Med Ctr, San Francisco, California, United States

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About this study

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVR) may cause life threatening coronary artery obstruction, whether implanted in native aortic stenosis or bioprosthetic aortic valve failure.

We have developed and validated the techniques of BASILICA (Bioprosthetic Aortic Scallop Intentional Laceration to prevent Iatrogenic Coronary Artery obstruction during transcatheter aortic valve replacement), using bedside modification of off-the-shelf guidewires. These bedside modifications require additional assembly steps and special expertise, and thereby risks procedure failure and complications.

Transmural Systems and NHLBI have developed a purpose-built electrosurgical guidewire system (TELLTALE) to simplify the BASILICA-TAVR procedure. The purpose of this protocol is to test the efficacy and safety of this purpose-built guidewire in the setting of BASILICA-TAVR.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

In order to be eligible to participate in the study, candidates must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Adults age >= 21 years
  • High or prohibitive risk of surgical aortic valve replacement according to the local multidisciplinary heart team
  • Undergoing TAVR for bioprosthetic aortic valve failure or native aortic stenosis ( on-label TAVR)
  • Local multidisciplinary heart team determines subject to be at high risk of TAVR-induced coronary artery obstruction
  • Deemed likely to suffer coronary artery obstruction from TAVR based on NHLBI Core lab analysis of CT, any of
  • Risk is narrow Sinus of Valsalva: (a) Leaflet height is greater than coronary artery height, and (b) Virtual transcatheter valve-to-coronary (VTC) distance < 4mm
  • Risk is Sinus sequestration: (a) Threatening leaflet height is greater than sinotubular junction, and (b) Virtual transcatheter valve-to-sinotubular-junction distance (VTS) < 2mm at the affected Sinus
  • Concurrence of the Study Eligibility Committee
  • Able to understand the protocol, consents in writing to participate, and willing to comply with all study procedures for the duration of the study

Exclusion criteria

  • Requires doppio (two-leaflet) BASILICA
  • Flail target leaflet at baseline
  • Excessive target aortic leaflet calcification (no basal calcium-free window or potentially obstructive calcific masses) on baseline CT
  • Planned provisional (pre-position coronary artery) stents despite BASILICA
  • Requires non-femoral access
  • Requires concomitant procedures during TAVR (such as percutaneous coronary intervention for baseline obstructive coronary artery disease)
  • Chronic kidney disease KDIGO stage 4 or 5 (eGFR < 29 ml/min/1.73m2) or renal replacement therapy
  • Not expected to survive for 12 months
  • Pregnant at the time of intended treatment (day 0)

Treatment and study plan

TELLTALE BASILICA procedure

Device

The TELLTALE BASILICA procedure has five steps: (1) engagement of the target leaflet with a guiding catheter; (2) electrosurgical leaflet traversal with the TELLTALE guidewire, (3) preparation and positioning of the TELLTALE guidewire electrosurgical leaflet laceration surface; (4) electrosurgical leaflet laceration with the TELLTALE guidewire, immediately followed by (5) TAVR. These are all guided by fluoroscopy, with adjunctive echocardiography as needed.

Other names: Transmural TELLTALE guidewire system

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Participant That Experienced Technical Success With the TELLTALE Guidewire System

    Time frame: 1 minute following procedure discharge (Exit from the catheterization laboratory)

    The primary efficacy endpoint is technical success, which is defined when the following criteria are all met:

    • Successful electrosurgical leaflet traversal using the TELLTALE Guidewire
    • Successful electrosurgical leaflet laceration using the TELLTALE Guidewire
    • Successful retrieval of the TELLTALE Guidewire System

  2. Number of Inpatient Safety Events

    Time frame: Upon discharge from the index hospital admission, up to 30 days

    Inpatient safety as defined by:

    • Freedom from all-cause mortality as defined as the total number of deaths from any cause
    • Freedom from stroke, both disabling and non-disabling
    • Disabling stroke according to VARC-3 is defined as a stroke resulting in significant, persistent neurological deficits that impact a patient's ability to perform daily activities.
    • Non-disabling stroke according to VARC-3, involves stroke symptoms that don't significantly impair a patient's ability to perform daily activities or lead to a worsening of their pre-stroke disability level.
    • Freedom from acute coronary artery obstruction
    • Freedom from emergency cardiac surgery or reintervention related to the TELLTALE BASILICA procedure or device-
    • Freedom from BASILICA-related complications including coronary artery perforation, coronary artery dissection, aortic dissection, cardiac free wall perforation, or systemic embolization of a native or bioprosthetic leaflet

Secondary outcomes

  1. Freedom From Safety Events

    Time frame: Up to Day 30

    30-day safety as assessed by freedom from

    • Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events defined by no periprocedural myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular events, and periprocedural all-cause mortality
    • All-cause mortality: defined as total number of deaths from any cause
    • All stroke (disabling and non-disabling per VARC-3)
    • Disabling results in significant, persistent neurological deficits that impact daily activities
    • Non-disabling involves stroke symptoms that don't significantly impair daily activities or lead to worsening of their pre-stroke level
    • Bleeding VARC-3 Type 2 or greater requiring two or more units of transfused blood or hemoglobin drop >3g/dL
    • Major vascular, access-related, or cardiac structural complication according to VARC-3, including coronary obstruction
    • Acute kidney injury stage 3 or 4
    • Moderate or severe aortic regurgitation
    • New permanent pacemaker due to procedure-related conduction abnormalities
    • Surgery or intervention related to the TELLTALE device

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Nih

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Dec 28, 2022
Registry last updated
Feb 3, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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