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Intra-operative Infra-red Fluorescent Imaging in Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery

Development of a Clinical Protocol to Use Intra-operative Near Infra-red Fluorescent Imaging in Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 1Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02089542
Enrollment
41
Registered
2014-03-17
Start date
2014-10-31
Completion date
2016-10-31
Last updated
2016-11-02

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Bilateral Neck Exploration for Primary Hyperparathyroidism, Total Thyroidectomy

Keywords

thyroidectomy, parathyroid surgery, parathyroid identification, methylene blue, near infrared fluorescence, intraoperative imaging

Brief summary

Reliable identification of parathyroid glands is critical to the success of thyroid and parathyroid surgery. In thyroid surgery, inadvertent injury to parathyroid glands may cause temporary or permanent hypoparathyroidism (low calcium levels needing long term treatment). In parathyroid surgery, early identification of normal and/or enlarged parathyroid glands helps in deciding on the extent of surgery and increases the chances of postoperative normal calcium levels. Methylene Blue (Methylthioninium chloride, MB) is a dye that when given intravenously in high doses, is taken up differently by thyroid and parathyroid tissue. It is currently used during parathyroid surgery by some surgeons to help identify enlarged parathyroid glands by visual examination alone. Such visual examination is unhelpful in the identification of 'normal' parathyroid tissue. MB exhibits fluorescent properties in the near-infrared range (light just beyond the visible spectrum). This can be picked up by an appropriate imaging system. This has potential to identify and differentiate between 'normal' parathyroid, 'abnormal' parathyroid and thyroid tissue during surgery. The investigators have established the feasibility of the intra-operative use of a near infra-red fluorescent imaging device called Fluobeam® and demonstrated the ability of this device to pick up near infra-red fluorescence from human tissue after administration of intravenous MB. Animal experiments have shown that doses as low as 0.1mg/kg of MB given intravenously enable fluorescent visualisation of thyroid and parathyroid glands. This study will aim to optimise the dose and timing of administration of MB in human thyroid and parathyroid surgery and to develop a protocol which would then subsequently be assessed for effectiveness in a multi-centred randomized controlled setting.

Detailed description

Around 13,000 thyroid and parathyroid operations are performed per year in England for both benign and malignant disease. Reliable identification of parathyroid glands is critical to the success of thyroid and parathyroid surgery. In thyroid surgery, inadvertent injury to parathyroid glands may cause temporary or permanent hypoparathyroidism (low calcium levels needing long term treatment); the latter is associated with significant long term problems. In parathyroid surgery, early identification of normal and/or enlarged parathyroid glands helps in deciding on the extent of surgery and increases the chances of postoperative normal calcium levels. Methylene Blue (Methylthioninium chloride, MB) is a dye that when given intravenously in high doses, is taken up differently by thyroid and parathyroid tissue. It is currently used during parathyroid surgery by some surgeons to help identify enlarged parathyroid glands by visual examination alone. At these doses, there is a risk of adverse effects from administration of MB. Such visual examination is unhelpful in the identification of 'normal' parathyroid tissue. MB is not currently used in surgery for thyroid pathologies. MB exhibits fluorescent properties in the near-infrared range (light just beyond the visible spectrum). This can be picked up by an appropriate imaging system. This has potential to identify and differentiate between 'normal' parathyroid, 'abnormal' parathyroid and thyroid tissue during surgery. The investigators have established the feasibility of the intra-operative use of a near infra-red fluorescent imaging device called Fluobeam® and demonstrated the ability of this device to pick up near infra-red fluorescence from human tissue after administration of intravenous MB. Animal experiments have shown that doses as low as 0.1mg/kg of MB given intravenously enable fluorescent visualisation of thyroid and parathyroid glands. This study will aim to optimise the dose and timing of administration of MB in human thyroid and parathyroid surgery and to develop a protocol which would then subsequently be assessed for effectiveness in a multi-centred randomized controlled setting.

Interventions

OTHERMB and fluorescent imaging

Single arm study for the development of a protocol stipulating the optimum dose and time to peak near infra-red fluorescence from intraoperative injection of low dose Methylthioninium chloride

Sponsors

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

-All patients undergoing either a total thyroidectomy or bilateral neck exploration for PHPT in Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Exclusion criteria

* Patients undergoing re-do procedures * Patients unable to understand spoken and written English * Patients unable to give adequate informed consent * Patients with a history of intolerance or sensitivity to MB * Patients with known G6PD deficiency * Patients on serotonin reuptake inhibitors * Patients undergoing surgery for thyroglossal cyst and * Patients undergoing thoracic exploration; either alone or in combination with a neck exploration

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Optimum dose of Methylene Blue20 minutesDetermine optimum dose of Methylene Blue that will enable fluorescence to be detected from the soft tissue structures in the neck

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Time to peak fluorescence20 minutesTime to peak fluorescence at varying doses of Methylene Blue will be assessed during the observation period, which will be a maximum of twenty minutes.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative calcium statusup to 12 weeks of surgery
Serious adverse eventup to 30 days after surgeryThis will include any one of the following: 1. Death 2. A life-threatening adverse event 3. Inpatient hospitalisation or prolongation of existing hospitalisation 4. A disability / incapacity 5. A congenital anomaly in the offspring of a participant The reporting period for Serious Adverse Events will be from the time of induction of anaesthetic until 30 days after the day of surgery. Important medical events that may not result in death, be life-threatening, or require hospitalisation may be considered a serious adverse event when, based upon appropriate medical judgment, they may jeopardize the patient or participant and may require medical or surgical intervention to prevent one of the outcomes listed in this definition. All adverse events will be assessed for seriousness, expectedness and causality.

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 8, 2026