New ventilator strategy could help obese patients breathe easier
NCT ID NCT07359261
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests a method to set breathing machine pressures based on real-time lung measurements in obese patients. Researchers will insert a small balloon tube into the esophagus to measure lung pressure and adjust the ventilator accordingly. The goal is to see if this personalized approach is feasible and may improve oxygen levels and reduce lung injury compared to standard care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- esophageal pressure-guided PEEP titration (a procedure using a balloon catheter to adjust ventilator settings)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could lead to better breathing support for obese patients on ventilators, potentially reducing lung damage and improving recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early feasibility study with only 30 participants. The procedure may not improve outcomes, and inserting the catheter carries risks like bleeding or incorrect placement.
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
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: * Age 18 years or older * Body mass index ≥30 kg/m² * Intubated and receiving passive mechanical ventilation * Within 24 hours of intubation * Anticipated need for mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours Exclusion Criteria: * Known or suspected esophageal varices * Esophageal surgery within 3 months * Known esophageal stricture or perforation * Active upper gastrointestinal bleeding * Severe coagulopathy (INR \>3.0 or platelet count \<30,000/μL) * Known or suspected intracranial hypertension without intracranial pressure monitoring device demonstrating controlled intracranial pressure (\<20 mmHg) * Severe hemodynamic instability at treating physician discretion * Known pregnancy * Moribund state with expected survival \<48 hours * Receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) * Open abdomen post-operatively * Previous enrollment in this study * Any other contraindication to esophageal balloon placement as determined by clinical team
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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.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Sturgeon Community Hospital
RECRUITINGSt. Albert, Alberta, Canada
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University of Alberta Hospital
RECRUITINGEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a simple ultrasound combo predict breathing failure before it happens?
- Could stepping down breathing support sooner save more lives?
- Can new home monitors keep tabs on breathing support without a clinic visit?