Planning Operative Strategy Using a Digital Renal Artery Clamping Tool

NCT ID: NCT06536439

Last Updated: 2025-04-01

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

235 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-06-27

Study Completion Date

2027-01-01

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

A proposed new tool ('DIPLANN-tool' - Digital Planning in Nephrectomy) for predicting kidney perfusion zones on a segmented 3D model during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) for localized renal cancer demonstrated high accuracy when planning selective clamping (SC) for RAPN. However, the tool's clinical added value still needs to be confirmed. Therefore, a randomized controlled trial using a study and control group is the preferred study design.

Experimental group: the use of the DIPLANN-tool + conventional computed tomography (CT) imaging for preoperative planning and perioperative guidance during RAPN.

Control group: the use of only conventional CT imaging for preoperative planning and perioperative guidance during RAPN (= current standard of care).

The primary endpoint is planning and performing as planned a SC strategy. Secondary endpoints include patients' health, patients' insight and surgeons' benefits.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

BACKGROUND:

For patients diagnosed with localized kidney cancer, two main options exist to surgically remove the kidney tumor. During radical nephrectomy (RN), the entire kidney is removed. During partial nephrectomy (PN), only the tumor is resected, safeguarding the function of the remaining healthy kidney tissue. This last procedure is preferred, but not always technically feasible. To resect only the tumor, a balance has to be found in the clamping approach: clamping the blood supply to the kidney assures bloodless tumor resection, yet compromises the postoperative renal function due to the temporary ischemia. Tumor resection without clamping on the other hand, might lead to substantial blood loss. That is why "selective clamping" (SC) is proposed. In this approach, only those selective arteries are clamped that perfuse the zone including the tumor. The main drawback of this strategy is that it is often not clear which arteries should be clamped based on standard preoperative imaging, while misjudgment can lead to a high-risk surgery with excessive bleeding or prolonged ischemia time. Therefore, RN is currently recommended when PN is considered not feasible. Better prediction of individual kidney perfusion will allow to perform more frequently a PN and thus save healthier kidney tissue. Additionally, it is difficult for patients to assess their own individual oncological situation based on 2D CT images.

With this project, the investigators want to offer the surgeon an easy-to-use virtual planning tool that facilitates the decision-making process regarding the feasibility of PN and the corresponding optimal clamping strategy. This tool uses virtual 3D models based on CT scans, to visualize precise information on the different anatomical structures and perfusion zones. This may also improve patients' understanding of their own individual situation. The proposed new tool (DIPLANN-tool) for predicting kidney perfusion zones on a segmented 3D model during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) for localized renal cancer demonstrated high accuracy when planning selective clamping (SC) for RAPN. However, the tool's clinical added value still needs to be confirmed. Therefore, a randomized controlled trial using a study and control group is the preferred study design.

DESIGN:

A confirmatory, multicentric, unblinded, randomized, controlled, pivotal trial using parallel group assignment and stratified randomization.

Experimental group: the use of the DIPLANN model + conventional CT imaging for preoperative planning and perioperative guidance.

Control group: the use of only conventional CT imaging for preoperative planning and perioperative guidance (= current standard of care).

METHODOLOGY:

Sample size calculation: 235 patients.

Patients will be randomized according to a 1:1 allocation ratio to either the experimental group (the DIPLANN-tool in combination with conventional CT imaging) or the control group (conventional CT imaging alone), using permuted block randomization with blocks of varying size.

Randomization will be stratified on the following variables:

* Whether SC is deemed possible according to the DIPLANN-tool in combination with conventional CT imaging or on conventional CT imaging alone, as assessed by an independent surgeon (between inclusion and randomization) who will not be not involved in the RAPN surgical procedure (yes vs no).
* Hospital where surgery is performed.
* PADUA classification (low (\<8) and intermediate (8-9) vs high-risk (\>9)). In case of multiple masses, the mass with the highest individual PADUA classification will be used.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

To assess if the DIPLANN-tool in combination with conventional CT imaging is superior to conventional CT imaging alone, with respect to planning and performing as planned a SC strategy during RAPN, in patients diagnosed with localized kidney cancer who are planned to undergo renal cancer surgery and in whom SC is deemed possible either according to the DIPLANN-tool in combination with conventional CT imaging or according to conventional CT imaging only, as assessed between inclusion and randomization by an independent surgeon.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

* To assess if the DIPLANN-tool in combination with conventional CT imaging is superior to conventional CT imaging alone, with respect to planning and performing as planned a SC strategy during RAPN, in patients diagnosed with localized kidney cancer who are planned to undergo renal cancer surgery.
* To compare the DIPLANN-tool in combination with conventional CT imaging to conventional CT imaging alone with respect to: patients' health, patients' insight, and surgeons' benefits.

ENDPOINTS:

The primary endpoint is planning and performing as planned a SC strategy. Secondary endpoints include patients' health, patients' insight and surgeons' benefits.

Extended listing of all outcome measures: see below.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Kidney Cancer Kidney Neoplasms Kidney Diseases Renal Cancer Renal Cell Carcinoma Renal Disease

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Confirmatory, multicentric, unblinded, randomized, controlled, pivotal trial using parallel group assignment and stratified randomization.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

DIPLANN-tool + conventional CT imaging

Pre-operative planning and peri-operative guidance with DIPLANN-tool and conventional CT imaging.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Pre-operative explanation of the procedure (DIPLANN + CT)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Pre-operative study visit explaining the RAPN procedure using the 3D model / DIPLANN-tool (with or without classical CT imaging). Included in this visit is a pre-operative physical examination (height, weight, abdominal examination), pre-operative blood examination (Hb, creatinin, eGFR) and patient questionnaires regarding patient knowledge, patient anxiety and patient quality of life.

Pre-operative surgical planning (DIPLANN + CT)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Online assessment by surgeon regarding clamping strategy. Assisted by DIPLANN-tool + CT scan.

RAPN (DIPLANN + CT)

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy surgical procedure. Peri-operative guidance by DIPLANN-tool + CT scan.

Conventional CT imaging alone

Pre-operative planning and peri-operative guidance with conventional CT imaging alone (standard of care).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Pre-operative explanation of the procedure (CT only)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Pre-operative study visit explaining the RAPN procedure using CT imaging alone. Included in this visit is a pre-operative physical examination (height, weight, abdominal examination), pre-operative blood examination (Hb, creatinin, eGFR) and patient questionnaires regarding patient knowledge, patient anxiety and patient quality of life.

Pre-operative surgical planning (CT only)

Intervention Type DEVICE

Online assessment by surgeon regarding clamping strategy. Assisted by classical CT imaging only.

RAPN (CT only)

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy surgical procedure. Peri-operative guidance by CT imaging only.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Pre-operative explanation of the procedure (DIPLANN + CT)

Pre-operative study visit explaining the RAPN procedure using the 3D model / DIPLANN-tool (with or without classical CT imaging). Included in this visit is a pre-operative physical examination (height, weight, abdominal examination), pre-operative blood examination (Hb, creatinin, eGFR) and patient questionnaires regarding patient knowledge, patient anxiety and patient quality of life.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Pre-operative surgical planning (DIPLANN + CT)

Online assessment by surgeon regarding clamping strategy. Assisted by DIPLANN-tool + CT scan.

Intervention Type DEVICE

RAPN (DIPLANN + CT)

Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy surgical procedure. Peri-operative guidance by DIPLANN-tool + CT scan.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Pre-operative explanation of the procedure (CT only)

Pre-operative study visit explaining the RAPN procedure using CT imaging alone. Included in this visit is a pre-operative physical examination (height, weight, abdominal examination), pre-operative blood examination (Hb, creatinin, eGFR) and patient questionnaires regarding patient knowledge, patient anxiety and patient quality of life.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Pre-operative surgical planning (CT only)

Online assessment by surgeon regarding clamping strategy. Assisted by classical CT imaging only.

Intervention Type DEVICE

RAPN (CT only)

Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy surgical procedure. Peri-operative guidance by CT imaging only.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* aged 18 years or above
* cT1-2 N0 M0 renal mass
* planned to undergo RAPN
* multiphase CT scan with arterial phase available
* voluntary given and written informed consent
* sufficient in at least one of the study languages: Dutch, English, French

For the primary objective, SC needs to be deemed possible either according to the DIPLANN-tool in combination with conventional CT imaging or according to conventional CT imaging only, as assessed by an independent surgeon (between inclusion and randomization) who will not be involved in the RAPN surgical procedure, in order to be included in the analysis set. On the DIPLANN tool, SC is deemed feasible if \>= 90% tumor ischemia and \<= 70% renal parenchyma ischemia can be achieved. If these criteria are met, but it is technically or anatomically not feasible according to the independent surgeon to perform SC, he can deviate from these criteria and thus claim SC is not deemed possible. The results for the total population (patients in which SC is deemed possible AND impossible pre-operatively by an independent surgeon) will also be analyzed as a secondary objective.

Exclusion Criteria

* \> 3 ipsilateral renal masses
* women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
* previous renal surgery that is expected to complicate renal cancer surgery
* cT ≥ 3
* planned off-clamp resection
* cognitive disorder which impedes with completing study questionnaires
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Stichting tegen Kanker

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University Ghent

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University Hospital, Ghent

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Charles Van Praet, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hospital, Ghent

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

AZORG

Aalst, , Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

AZ Sint-Jan

Bruges, , Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

ZOL

Genk, , Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

AZ Maria Middelares

Ghent, , Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

Ghent University Hospital

Ghent, , Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Belgium

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Joris Vangeneugden, MD

Role: CONTACT

+32 9 332 22 76

Charles Van Praet, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+32 9 332 22 76

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Alexandre Mottrie

Role: primary

+3253724448

Christophe Ghysel

Role: primary

+3250452530

Bernard Bynens

Role: primary

+3289808380

Karel Decaestecker, MD, PhD

Role: primary

+32 9 246 46 46

Charles Van Praet, MD, PhD

Role: primary

+32 9 332 22 76

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

ONZ-2023-0558

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Partial Nephrectomy in Low Pressure
NCT05404685 COMPLETED NA