New breathing test may predict readiness for tracheostomy removal
NCT ID NCT07810166
First seen Sep 09, 2026 · Last updated Sep 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Critically ill patients with a tracheostomy need a reliable test to show they can breathe through the nose and mouth before the tube is removed. The standard capping trial blocks the tube, but the tube itself narrows the airway and may make breathing seem harder than it will be after removal. This study compares the capping trial with a new method that adds extra tubing to mimic the breathing effort after decannulation. Each participant tries both methods in random order, and researchers measure breathing effort and muscle activity to see which test better predicts actual breathing after the tube comes out.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Incremental instrumental dead space and capping trial
- What this could lead to
- If the dead space method predicts breathing after tube removal more accurately, it could help doctors decide sooner when a tracheostomy tube can be safely removed.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small physiological study with 22 participants, so the findings may not apply to all patients. The dead space method is experimental and could be uncomfortable or fail to predict outcomes better than the standard capping trial.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 22 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Aug 2026
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients (≥18 years) admitted to the ICU. * Presence of a tracheostomy due to prolonged mechanical ventilation (≥14 days). * Clinically considered ready for decannulation, according to institutional criteria (e.g., stable gas exchange, minimal secretions, effective cough, and tolerance to spontaneous breathing). * Ability to maintain spontaneous breathing without mechanical ventilation for more than 48 consecutive hours. * Able to cooperate and follow basic commands (RASS between -1 and +1). * Written informed consent obtained from patient. Exclusion Criteria: * Neuromuscular disease affecting respiratory muscles (e.g., myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). * Hemodynamic instability. * Severe agitation or delirium precluding cooperation (RASS \< -2 or \> +2). * Structural airway abnormalities (e.g., subglottic stenosis, tracheomalacia). * Pregnancy. * Contraindications for esophageal balloon catheter insertion (e.g., severe coagulopathy, esophageal varices, and history of esophageal or gastric surgery). * Refusal to participate by the attending physician.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Prolonged mechanical ventilation are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hospital Clínico UC CHRISTUS, Unidad de Paciente Crítico
RECRUITINGSantiago, Santiago Metropolitan, Chile
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- How do ICUs worldwide manage breathing tubes? a massive study investigates
- A short lesson before a tracheostomy may calm families' fears
- Can High-Flow oxygen through a tracheostomy speed ventilator weaning?
- Can targeted breathing exercises help ventilator patients regain diaphragm strength?
- New tracheostomy tube holder aims to cut infections and boost comfort
- Virtual therapy aims to help Tube-Fed children with tracheostomies eat on their own