Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion

Official title

Pilot Trial of Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion (FETO) in Severe Right and Left Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)

Overview

The purpose of this research study is to see if the FETO surgery and FETO release (surgery to remove the device) works and is safe for babies with severe right or left Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH). CDH is a condition in which a hole in the baby's diaphragm allows the abdominal organs to move into the chest and limit lung growth. The goal of the FETO device is to block the airway with a balloon-type device, allowing fluid to build up and help the unborn baby's lungs grow. Bigger lungs may improve the baby's quality of life.

Detailed description

Despite advances in prenatal diagnosis and postnatal therapies, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), inhaled nitric oxide therapy, and ventilator strategies that minimize ventilator-induced lung injury, morbidity and mortality rates for babies with severe CDH remain high. Data from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) between January 2006 and December 2010 for prenatal and postnatal care for 64 patients with isolated left CDH showed overall survival was 63%. Survival was 33% in patients requiring the use ECMO. Immediate morbidity/mortality is related to the severity of the pulmonary hypoplasia caused by the mass effect of the herniated abdominal contents on the developing lungs. Quantifying the severity of pulmonary hypoplasia has been performed using the observed/expected lung to head circumference ratio (O/E LHR). It is a tool validated in 354 fetuses with unilateral isolated CDH evaluated between 18 and 38 weeks gestation. For O/E LHR \< 25%, survival was dismal at 1/9 or 11% (CHOP experience, not published). Published data from an interdisciplinary follow-up program at CHOP shows striking morbidities in neuromuscular tone and neurodevelopmental status.

The rationale for fetal therapy in severe CDH is to improve fetal lung growth and therefore neonatal survival. Prenatal tracheal occlusion obstructs the normal egress of lung fluid during pulmonary development leading to increased lung tissue stretch, increased cell proliferation, and accelerated lung growth. European colleagues have developed foregut endoscopy and techniques to position and remove endoluminal tracheal balloons in utero. Recently, the Belgium group published summary results of FETO showing an improved survival in 175 patients with isolated left CDH from 24% to 49%.

The investigators goal with this pilot study is to study the feasibility of implementing FETO therapy in the most severe group of fetuses with left CDH (O/E\< 25%; O/E \< 30%) and right CDH (O/E \< 45%).

Interventions

• Device Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion (FETO)
  This study will position and remove an endoluminal tracheal balloon in utero (FETO) to study the feasibility of implementing FETO therapy in the most severe group of fetuses with left CDH (O/E \< 25%; O/E LHR \< 30 %) and right CDH (O/E LHR \< 45%).

Primary outcome measures

• Successful placement of Balt Goldbal2 balloon [Time frame: 7 weeks after placement]
• Successful removal of Balt Goldbal2 balloon [Time frame: Within 5 weeks prior to delivery]
• Gestational age at delivery [Time frame: At delivery]
• Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability] [Time frame: After Insertion of Balloon to delivery- (from 27 weeks gestational age up to 39 weeks gestational age)]

Secondary outcome measures (3)

• Survival at Discharge or at 6 months if still hospitalized [Time frame: Discharge up to 180 days post delivery]
• Lung Volume Measurement [Time frame: 7 weeks after placement of balloon]
• Lung Head Ratio Measurement [Time frame: 7 weeks after placement of balloon]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Pregnant women age 18 years and older, who are able to consent
• Singleton pregnancy

Fetal

• Normal Karyotype
• Fetal Diagnosis of Isolated Left or Right CDH with liver up
• Gestation at enrollment prior to 29 wks plus 6 days
• SEVERE pulmonary hypoplasia with Ultra Sound L-sided O/E LHR < 25% or R-sided O/E LHR <45%

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant women <18 years of age.
• Maternal contraindication to fetoscopic surgery or severe maternal medical condition in pregnancy
• Technical limitations precluding fetoscopic surgery
• Rubber latex allergy
• Preterm labor, cervix shortened (<15 mm at enrollment or within 24 hours of FETO balloon insertion procedure) or uterine anomaly strongly predisposing to preterm labor, placenta previa
• Psychosocial ineligibility, precluding consent
• Inability to remain at FETO site during time period of tracheal occlusion, delivery and postnatal care

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Allocation

Non-randomized

Model

Single group

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Treatment

Study locations

United States · 1 center

• Children's Hospital Colorado — Aurora

Publications

• Claus F, Sandaite I, DeKoninck P, Moreno O, Cruz Martinez R, Van Mieghem T, Gucciardo L, Richter J, Michielsen K, Decraene J, Devlieger R, Gratacos E, Deprest JA. Prenatal anatomical imaging in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2011;29(1):88-100. doi: 10.1159/000320605. Epub 2010 Nov 9. PMID 21063073
• Danzer E, Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, D'Agostino J, Bebbington MW, Siegle J, Hoffman C, Rintoul NE, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Neurodevelopmental outcome of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia prospectively enrolled in an interdisciplinary follow-up program. J Pediatr Surg. 2010 Sep;45(9):1759-66. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2010.03.011. PMID 20850617
• Deprest JA, Hyett JA, Flake AW, Nicolaides K, Gratacos E. Current controversies in prenatal diagnosis 4: Should fetal surgery be done in all cases of severe diaphragmatic hernia? Prenat Diagn. 2009 Jan;29(1):15-9. doi: 10.1002/pd.2108. No abstract available. PMID 19125386
• Luks FI, Deprest JA, Vandenberghe K, Laermans I, De Simpelaere L, Brosens IA, Lerut T. Fetoscopy-guided fetal endoscopy in a sheep model. J Am Coll Surg. 1994 Jun;178(6):609-12. PMID 8193755
• Deprest J, Nicolaides K, Done' E, Lewi P, Barki G, Largen E, DeKoninck P, Sandaite I, Ville Y, Benachi A, Jani J, Amat-Roldan I, Gratacos E. Technical aspects of fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion for congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2011 Jan;46(1):22-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2010.10.008. PMID 21238635
• Deprest J, Gratacos E, Nicolaides KH; FETO Task Group. Fetoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) for severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia: evolution of a technique and preliminary results. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2004 Aug;24(2):121-6. doi: 10.1002/uog.1711. PMID 15287047
• Jani JC, Nicolaides KH, Gratacos E, Valencia CM, Done E, Martinez JM, Gucciardo L, Cruz R, Deprest JA. Severe diaphragmatic hernia treated by fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Sep;34(3):304-10. doi: 10.1002/uog.6450. PMID 19658113
• Harrison MR, Adzick NS, Flake AW, VanderWall KJ, Bealer JF, Howell LJ, Farrell JA, Filly RA, Rosen MA, Sola A, Goldberg JD. Correction of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in utero VIII: Response of the hypoplastic lung to tracheal occlusion. J Pediatr Surg. 1996 Oct;31(10):1339-48. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3468(96)90824-6. PMID 8906657

Identifiers

NCT: NCT03674372 · 18-0461

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗