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Outside the Cage (OTC) Robotic Lobectomy

Outside the Cage (OTC) Robotic Lobectomy, Single Center Human Phase I Trial

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05832112
Acronym
OTC-RATS
Enrollment
100
Registered
2023-04-27
Start date
2023-02-22
Completion date
2028-12-09
Last updated
2026-03-18

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

Conditions

Lung Cancer Stage I

Keywords

Out of the Cage, Lobectomy, Robotic

Brief summary

This study consists in a prospective pilot study evaluating the feasibility and safety of OTC RATS lobectomies in patients treated for lung cancer. All patients with clinical stage I tumors (≤cT2N0M0) planned to undergo a VATS or RATS lobectomy at the CHUM will be approached. At our institution, lobectomies are either performed open by thoracotomy or by MIS, including VATS and RATS. The technique is selected based on tumor size, tumor location and patient characteristics. Only patients already planned for a VATS or RATS lobectomy will be approached. They will be identified through the operation request forms and will be approached either in the preoperative clinic or the day before surgery, when admitted. The investigators aim to recruit 20 patients.

Detailed description

Consenting patients will undergo lobectomy by OTC RATS following the exact standard steps usually done by VATS/RATS, aside from the ports that will be placed in the subcostal plane. The characteristics of both the patient and the case, will determine the number of incisions from 1-4. The Davinci Xi® surgical system will be used to perform the lobectomy through the ports using the standard technique with an anterior approach. Once the procedure is completed, the robotic arms and ports will be removed from the chest and figure-of-8 stitches with non absorbable sutures will be placed to close the diaphragm at the site of insertion. A 24 Fr soft chest tube will be left in place, as in the standard VATS/RATS lobectomy procedure. The incision closure will be done in a standard manner. Enrolled patients will receive standard postoperative care. Chest tube removal and discharge will be decided by the treating surgeon, following the same criteria as VATS/RATS lobectomies. Images and videos will be recorded during the procedure. The postoperative course will be monitored in case of potential complications up to the 30-day follow-up appointment. Medical records will be verified to obtain postoperative outcomes at follow-up appointments at the surgical clinic. All data pertaining to the 1-year follow-up will be collected and analysed retrospectively. Chronic pain of OTC RATS lobectomy patients will be compared to that of VATS lobectomy patients, for which the data will also be collected and analysed retrospectively. A propensity match score will be conducted using the two groups of patients, divided by surgical approach, to adequately interpret the degree of chronic pain experienced by patients who have received surgery using an OTC approach versus the current minimally invasive thoracic approach.

Interventions

PROCEDUREVATS/RATS lobectomy

Consenting patients will undergo lobectomy by OTC RATS following the exact standard steps usually done by VATS/RATS, aside from the ports that will be placed in the subcostal plane. The characteristics of both the patient and the case, will determine the number of incisions from 1-4. The Davinci Xi® surgical system will be used to perform the lobectomy through the ports using the standard technique with an anterior approach. Once the procedure is completed, the robotic arms and ports will be removed from the chest and figure-of-8 stitches with non absorbable sutures will be placed to close the diaphragm at the site of insertion. A 24 Fr soft chest tube will be left in place, as in the standard VATS/RATS lobectomy procedure. The incision closure will be done in a standard manner.

Sponsors

Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* All patients with clinical stage I tumors (≤cT2N0M0) planned to undergo a lobectomy by VATS/RATS at the CHUM

Exclusion criteria

* Age \< 18 years old * Inability to consent to the study * Pregnancy

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Conversion rateThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearFeasibility will be evaluated by completion of the procedure without conversion of the approach or technique. Any change in the treatment plan requiring the use of intercostal ports, conversion to conventional minimally invasive thoracic surgery through intercostal incisions, or conversion to open surgery
30-day mortality30 days after dischargeSafety will be evaluated by 30-day mortality. Any dead occurring during the hospital stay or within 30 days after discharge will be registered.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Length of stayThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearLength of hospital stay
Operative timeIntraoperativeSurgical operative time including robot positioning
Estimated blood lossIntraoperativeRegistered by the OR nurse team
Postoperative painThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearPain scores on a visual analog scale: Pain Rating Scale between 0 and 10 (0: better outcome and 10:Worse outcome)
Quality of recoveryThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearAssessment of postoperative recovery using Quality Of Recovery (QOR-15) questionnaire between 0 and 10 (0: Better outcome and 10: Worst outcome)
Analgesic complementation requirementThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearNumber of participants who need of adding analgesia medication out of the analgesic pathway used in our center for conventional RATS/VATS
Serious adverse eventsThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearComplications derived from the operation that altered the pathway
Perioperative complicationsThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearComplications including intraoperative and postoperative occurring during the hospital stay or within 30 days after discharge will be graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification
Evaluate Chronic PainThrough study completion, an average of 1 yearPain scores on a visual analog scale: Pain Rating Scale between 0 and 10 (0: better outcome and 10:Worse outcome). Chronic pain of OTC RATS lobectomy patients will be compared to that of VATS lobectomy patients, for which the data will also be collected and analysed retrospectively.

Countries

Canada

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORMoishe Liberman, MD

Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 19, 2026