The TAPS Trial - Fetoscopic Laser Surgery for Twin Anemia Polycythemia Sequence

NCT ID: NCT04432168

Last Updated: 2020-06-16

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

44 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-04-30

Study Completion Date

2024-04-30

Brief Summary

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This multicenter open-label randomized controlled trial is set up to evaluate the effect of fetoscopic laser surgery on the gestational age at birth for monochorionic twin pregnancies diagnosed with twin anemia-polycythemia sequence. Half op the patients will be treated with fetoscopic laser surgery, while the other half will be managed with standard treatment. The hypothesis is that fetoscopic laser therapy will improve neonatal outcome by prolonging pregnancy.

Detailed Description

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Rationale: Monochorionic twins share one placenta and are connected to each other via vascular anastomoses at the placental surface, allowing the blood to transfer bi-directionally between the two fetuses. Unbalanced inter-twin blood transfusion can result in twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS). Management options include: fetoscopic laser surgery, intrauterine blood transfusion (IUT) with or without partial exchange transfusion (PET), preterm delivery, selective feticide and expectant management. The optimal treatment for TAPS is not clear. Fetoscopic laser surgery is the only causative treatment option, but data on the feasibility of this procedure are mainly based on case reports and small cohort studies. A large randomized controlled trial is needed to evaluate the possible beneficial effect of fetoscopic laser surgery and to determine the optimal treatment option for TAPS.

Objective: The aim of this trial is to investigate whether fetoscopic laser surgery improves the outcome for TAPS twins as compared to the control group (standard care consisting of expectant management, IUT, preterm delivery). The hypothesis is that fetoscopic laser therapy will improve neonatal outcome by prolonging pregnancy.

Study design: International multi-centered open-label randomized controlled trial to assess whether fetoscopic laser surgery (experimental group) improves the outcome of TAPS twins compared to standard care (control group).

Study population: Monochorionic twin pregnancies with TAPS stage ≥ 2 (spontaneous or post-laser) diagnosed between 20 and 28 weeks of gestation.

Intervention: In the experimental group fetoscopic laser surgery is performed, whereas the control group is treated with standard care (expectant management, IUT (with PET), selective feticide and/or preterm delivery, depending on the opinion of the fetal surgeon).

Main study endpoints: The primary outcome is gestational age at birth. Secondary outcomes include: perinatal mortality or severe neonatal morbidity, hematological complication, procedure related complications and long-term neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years.

Conditions

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Twin Anemia Polycythemia Sequence

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Fetoscopic Laser Surgery

fetoscopic laser coagulation of the vascular anastomoses at the placental surface

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Fetoscopic Laser Surgery

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Fetoscopic Photocoagulation of the connecting vascular anastomoses on the surface of the placenta.

Standard Treatment

Expectant management, IUT (with or without PET), preterm delivery

Group Type OTHER

Standard Treatment

Intervention Type OTHER

In the control group, the choices of treatment include expectant management, intrauterine transfusion (IUT) (with or without partial exchange transfusion (PET)) or preterm delivery, depending on the judgment of the fetal surgeon with regard to the gestational age and state of the disease.

* Expectant management will consist of close monitoring with ultrasound including Doppler measurements of the middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV), at least every week.
* IUT: the intrauterine infusion of red blood cells into the circulation of the donor twin treat anemia.
* PET: the intrauterine infusion of saline into the circulation of the recipient twin to treat polycythemia.
* Preterm delivery: Induction of labor or cesarean section before 36 weeks of gestation.

Interventions

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Fetoscopic Laser Surgery

Fetoscopic Photocoagulation of the connecting vascular anastomoses on the surface of the placenta.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Standard Treatment

In the control group, the choices of treatment include expectant management, intrauterine transfusion (IUT) (with or without partial exchange transfusion (PET)) or preterm delivery, depending on the judgment of the fetal surgeon with regard to the gestational age and state of the disease.

* Expectant management will consist of close monitoring with ultrasound including Doppler measurements of the middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA-PSV), at least every week.
* IUT: the intrauterine infusion of red blood cells into the circulation of the donor twin treat anemia.
* PET: the intrauterine infusion of saline into the circulation of the recipient twin to treat polycythemia.
* Preterm delivery: Induction of labor or cesarean section before 36 weeks of gestation.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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Fetoscopic Laser Coagulation Laser therapy Fetoscopic Laser Ablation

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Monochorionic twin pregnancy complicated by either spontaneous or post-laser twin anemia polycythemia sequence (TAPS), stage ≥ 2, diagnosed between 20+0 and till 28+0 weeks of gestation
* Women aged 18 years or more, who are able to consent.
* Written informed consent to participate in this randomized controlled trial, forms being approved by the Ethical Committees.

Exclusion Criteria

* TAPS stage 1
* TAPS stage≥ 2, diagnosed within 1 week after laser surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) (a large inter-twin middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity difference within a week after laser for TTTS is likely to related to hemodynamic reequilibration, and is usually not based on TAPS)
* Triplet pregnancies, or higher order multiple pregnancies
* TAPS cases that already underwent an intrauterine treatment (with the exception of laser surgery for TTTS in post-laser TAPS cases)
* Congenital abnormalities (including severe cerebral injury) in one or both twins
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Leiden University Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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DickOepkes

Prof. dr. D. Oepkes

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Dick Oepkes, MD PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Leiden University Medical Center

Locations

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Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital

Milan, Lombardy, Italy

Site Status RECRUITING

Leiden University Medical Center

Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands

Site Status RECRUITING

Vall d'Hebron University Hospital

Barcelona, , Spain

Site Status RECRUITING

Karolinska University Hospital

Stockholm, Södermanland County, Sweden

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Countries

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United States Italy Netherlands Spain Sweden

Central Contacts

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Femke Slaghekke, MD PhD

Role: CONTACT

+31 71 52 97211

Lisanne Tollenaar, BSc

Role: CONTACT

+31653413875

Facility Contacts

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Ozan Bahtiyar, MD PhD

Role: primary

Mariano Lanna, MD PhD

Role: primary

Dick Oepkes, MD PhD

Role: primary

+31715261688

Femke Slaghekke, MD PhD

Role: backup

+31715297211

Carlota Rodo, MD PhD

Role: primary

Silivia Arevalo, MD PhD

Role: backup

Lotta Herling, MD PhD

Role: primary

References

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Lopriore E, Middeldorp JM, Oepkes D, Kanhai HH, Walther FJ, Vandenbussche FP. Twin anemia-polycythemia sequence in two monochorionic twin pairs without oligo-polyhydramnios sequence. Placenta. 2007 Jan;28(1):47-51. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2006.01.010. Epub 2006 Mar 3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16516289 (View on PubMed)

Robyr R, Lewi L, Salomon LJ, Yamamoto M, Bernard JP, Deprest J, Ville Y. Prevalence and management of late fetal complications following successful selective laser coagulation of chorionic plate anastomoses in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Mar;194(3):796-803. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2005.08.069.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16522415 (View on PubMed)

Sananes N, Veujoz M, Severac F, Barthoulot M, Meyer N, Weingertner AS, Kohler M, Guerra F, Gaudineau A, Nisand I, Favre R. Evaluation of the Utility of in utero Treatment of Twin Anemia-Polycythemia Sequence. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2015;38(3):170-8. doi: 10.1159/000380822. Epub 2015 Mar 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25790745 (View on PubMed)

Slaghekke F, Favre R, Peeters SH, Middeldorp JM, Weingertner AS, van Zwet EW, Klumper FJ, Oepkes D, Lopriore E. Laser surgery as a management option for twin anemia-polycythemia sequence. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Sep;44(3):304-10. doi: 10.1002/uog.13382. Epub 2014 Aug 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24706478 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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NL6442700018

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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