We derive a trace formula for the splitting-weighted density of states
suitable for chaotic potentials with isolated symmetric wells. This formula is
based on complex orbits which tunnel through classically forbidden barriers.
The theory is applicable whenever the tunnelling is dominated by isolated
orbits, a situation which applies to chaotic systems but also to certain
near-integrable ones. It is used to analyse a specific two-dimensional
potential with chaotic dynamics. Mean behaviour of the splittings is predicted
by an orbit with imaginary action. Oscillations around this mean are obtained
from a collection of related orbits whose actions have nonzero real part