Could a 'robotic cough' stop deadly pneumonia in ICU patients?

NCT ID NCT06113939

First seen Jun 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 30, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests two non-invasive methods to keep the airways clear in adults who are unconscious or severely ill and need a breathing tube. One method uses a special tube with continuous low-pressure suction, and the other delivers a programmed 'artificial cough' through the ventilator. The goal is to see if these approaches can prevent early pneumonia better than the current standard of care, which involves antibiotics or manual suctioning. The study includes 60 patients with conditions like severe trauma, stroke, or cardiac arrest, and follows them for 90 days.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

airway clearance device

What this could lead to

If successful, this could point toward safer, non-invasive ways to prevent lung infections in intensive care patients, reducing antibiotic use and complications.

What could go wrong

This is a small pilot study (60 patients), so results may not be definitive. The non-invasive devices might not work as well as current methods, and any approach could still fail to prevent infection.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cardiac arrest Craniocerebral Trauma head injury Hemorrhagic Stroke intracerebral hemorrhage ischemic stroke Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-••••

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Hospital Clinico San Carlos

    Madrid, 28040, Spain