Insel Gruppe Ag, University Hospital Bern

This study compares two ways to treat a heart condition called atrial fibrillation (AFib) that causes an irregular heartbeat. The standard method uses freezing (cryoballoon), while the newer method uses electrical pulses (pulsed field ablation). The goal is to see if the new meth…

This study tests whether adding extra ablation to the back wall of the heart's left atrium improves outcomes for people with persistent atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heartbeat). About 206 participants will receive either standard vein isolation or vein isolation plus b…

This trial is testing a new way to treat prostate cancer that returns after the prostate has been removed. It combines a very short course of highly targeted radiation (just 5 sessions) with 6 months of hormone therapy. The goal is to see if this approach can control the cancer w…

This study compares a new leadless pacemaker (Micra AV) to a standard dual-chamber pacemaker in 100 patients aged 70 and older with heart block. The goal is to see if the leadless version works just as well for exercise capacity. Participants are randomly assigned to receive one …

This study collects blood, urine, skin, and stool samples from over 1,200 surgery patients to see if changes in the body's chemistry can predict surgical site infections. The goal is to find a biological test that helps personalize surgical care. No treatment is being tested—only…

This study looks at how bacteria move from the gut to other parts of the body during abdominal surgery and whether this leads to surgical site infections. Researchers will collect samples from 209 adults having planned abdominal surgery, including blood, tissue, and swabs, and us…

This study tests whether a simple computer alert can help doctors use antibiotics more wisely. The alert reminds them to check if antibiotics can be stopped or switched to a more targeted drug after a set time. The trial involves 58 hospital wards and compares antibiotic use befo…

This study tests two different ways doctors can quickly create an emergency airway in infants when standard methods fail. Using a realistic rabbit model, 30 pediatric specialists will try both a surgical cut-down technique and a needle-guided method. The goal is to see which tech…

This study looks at how blood flow to the urethra relates to bladder control. Researchers will use special ultrasound imaging in 70 women—35 with stress urinary incontinence and 35 without—to compare blood supply and pressure measurements. The goal is to better understand what ca…

This study is observing 4,500 people who need pacemakers or similar heart devices. The goal is to create a tool that predicts who is at risk of developing a weakened heart from the device itself. By identifying high-risk patients early, doctors can choose better pacing methods to…

This study looks at whether a tool called the Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment tool (CPAx) can accurately track recovery in 120 adults who developed muscle weakness after being on a breathing machine in the ICU. The goal is to find the smallest meaningful improvement tha…

This study looks at how a common heart valve procedure called TAVI changes the gut microbiome in older adults with aortic stenosis. Researchers will collect blood and stool samples before and three months after TAVI to measure bacterial byproducts and diversity. The goal is to se…

This study looks at whether adults aged 70 and older with multiple chronic conditions (but no heart disease) can safely stop taking statins. Researchers are comparing those who continue statins to those who stop, tracking deaths and major heart events over 2-4 years. The goal is …

This study compares how well doctors can measure tissue firmness using their hands (palpation) versus ultrasound. About 40 medical professionals and students will test artificial tissue models. The goal is to see which method is more accurate and reliable, and whether practice im…

This study looks at how the bacteria in your gut change during abdominal surgery and whether those changes can lead to infections at the surgery site. Researchers will collect samples from 120 adults having planned abdominal surgery to track these bacteria. The goal is to better …