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RCT to Evaluate STERN FIX Device As a Sternal Stabilization System in Patients After Sternotomy

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Median Sternotomy
Interventions
Device: Combination of STERN FIX and wires
Device: Wires
Registration Number
NCT05953259
Lead Sponsor
NEOS Surgery
Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the safety and performance of the sternal stabilization system STERN FIX with the standard of care (sternal closure with wires only) in normal conditions of use, in patients of risk undergoing median sternotomy during cardiothoracic surgery. The main question it aims to answer is:

• whether STERN FIX is a safe and efficient device to close the sternum after a sternotomy in patients of risk, achieving higher sternal stability than wires one month after surgery Participants will have their median sternotomy closed using STERN FIX in combination with wires or wires only at the end of their cardiothoracic surgery, according to the allocated treatment.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
90
Inclusion Criteria
  • Patient undergoing surgery that requires median sternotomy
  • Patients with at least one of the following risk criteria: obesity (BMI>30), diabetes, COPD, non serious osteoporosis (not associated with fractures), creatinine > 200 µmol/L and/or under dialysis treatment, scheduled Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery (BIMA) grafting
  • Patients willing and capable of granting informed consent to participate in clinical research and who have granted written consent
  • Patient willing and capable of complying with the protocol requirements
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patient with suspected or known allergies or intolerance to the device material (PEEK - polyether-ether-ketone and carbon fibre)
  • Patient with insufficient quality or quantity of bone or any other serious structural bone damage at the sternum
  • Patient with serious osteoporosis (associated with fractures) or a degenerative bone disease affecting the sternum
  • Patients with a latent or active infection or inflammation at the surgical area, that according to the surgeon criteria may interfere in the device implantation or proper function.
  • Patient with sternal anomalies that, according to the surgeon criteria, prevent the use of the product, such as bone tumours in the implantation area.
  • Pregnant patients or patients planning to become pregnant during the first 6 months after surgery.
  • Patients with diagnosis of dementia with a mental status score (MMSE) < 20.
  • Patients with life expectancy lower than 6 months.
  • Patients involved in other interventionist clinical trials or that have been involved in other interventionist clinical trials during the previous 4 weeks
  • Parasternal sternotomy.
  • Patients with intraoperative conditions that, according to the surgeon's opinion, require or exclude the use of a specific sternal closure system, or that cannot be closed following the study products instructions for use.

IMPORTANT: When the allocated closure method is wires only, the surgeon must assess whether the patient could have also had STERN FIX implanted in order to decide if the patient can continue in the study.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
STERN FIXCombination of STERN FIX and wiresCombination of at least one STERN FIX device and surgical wires to close median sternotomy (total of 5 fixation points)
WiresWiresStandard of care median sternotomy closure method with surgical wires
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Sternal stability1 month after surgery

The primary outcome of this study will evaluate the sternal stability through clinical assessment using the sternal instability scale (SIS) with grades 0 to 3 where 0 is "Clinically stable sternum" and 3 is "Completely separated sternum - entire length"

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Safety SAE/AE causality6 months after surgery

All adverse events occurring during the study period will be recorded, except for frequent events after surgical interventions requiring median sternotomy.

Prevalence of device deficiencies6 months after surgery

Adverse event related to the use of an investigational medical device. This includes adverse events resulting from insufficient or inadequate instructions for use, deployment, implantation, installation, or operation, or any malfunction and events resulting from use error or from intentional misuse of the investigational medical device.

Reinterventions - prevalence6 months after surgery

Prevalence of reinterventions

Prevalence of sternal wound infections1 month and 6 months after surgery

Prevalence of sternal superficial and deep wound infections

Sternum integrity6 months after surgery

Using CT scan images, the presence of bone cuts, fractures or necrosis will be assessed.

Safety SAE/AE prevalence6 months after surgery

All adverse events occurring during the study period will be recorded, except for frequent events after surgical interventions requiring median sternotomy.

Reinterventions - Causality6 months after surgery

Causality of reinterventions

Prevalence of dehiscence1 month and 6 months after surgery

Prevalence of dehiscence (without infection)

Surgeon satisfaction of the closure methodSurgery

General surgeon satisfaction with the sternotomy closure method will be recorded using the Likert scale (1 to 5).

Chest painBefore surgery, 3 and 7 days postoperatively, during the first month and during 6 months postoperatively

Patients will assess their chest pain using the NRS (0 to 10) while resting and after forced cough

Easiness of use of the closure methodSurgery

The surgeon perceived difficulty of the sternal closure method will be recorded using the Likert scale (1 to 5).

Sternal closure timeSurgery

Measured time from the implantation of the first wire to the closure of the last wire (minutes)

Quality of life - EQ5D5LBefore surgery, one month and 6 months postoperatively

Patients will complete the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire

Sternal halves alignment6 months after surgery

Using CT scan images, the alignment between the two sternal halves will be assessed and classified as:

* Misalignment: \<50% alignment between sternal halves

* Aligned: \>50% de alignment between halves

Closure system integrity6 months after surgery

Using CT scan images, the sternal closure devices integrity will be assessed

Blood lossDuring the first 12 hours postoperatively

Total blood loss volume obtained from thoracic drainage during the first 12 hours postoperatively will be recorded (mL).

Upper Limb functional indexBefore surgery, one month and 6 months postoperatively

Patients will assess their upper limbs functional capacity using the Upper Limb functional index (ULFI-Sp)

Sternal halves union/malunion6 months after surgery

Using CT scan images, the separation between the two sternal halves will be measured in mm. Later on, these measurements will be classified as:

* Malunion: more than 3mm of separation

* Mild malunion: between 1 and 3mm of separation

* Union: less than 1mm of separation

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Universitätsklinikum Freiburg

🇩🇪

Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra

🇪🇸

Pamplona, Navarra, Spain

Hospital Clínic de Barcelona

🇪🇸

Barcelona, Spain

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