Combined Zephyr Valve System With Inter-lobar Fissure Completion for Lung Volume Reduction in Emphysema (COMPLETE-1)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04801108 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : March 16, 2021
Last Update Posted : June 13, 2022
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The purpose of this protocol is to perform a pilot prospective randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the potential role of lung fissure completion strategy (experimental intervention) in addition to endobronchial valve (EBV) placement (representing "standard-of-care") in select patients with severe COPD/emphysema and with evidence for <95% fissure completion between adjacent lung lobes. In select patients, lung fissure completion strategy will be performed by either video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS)-guided or robotic-guided stapling along the lung fissures in an attempt to reduce collateral ventilation and determine whether or not this experimental strategy will improve outcome following subsequent EBV placement. EBV placement will follow successful VATS-guided or robotic-guided fissure stapling.
The study will enroll approximately 20 patients at BIDMC, and outcomes will focus on procedure-related complications, physiological measurements (ex., FEV1 by pulmonary function testing) and clinical symptoms (i.e., questionnaires). Patient will be followed for 3-month period, receiving usual standard of care during the 3 months of follow-up. The goal of this protocol is to determine if elimination of significant collateral lung ventilation between lung lobes is possible, and whether such strategy to eliminate collateral lung ventilation between lobes improves outcomes following subsequent EBV placement (i.e. promotes atelectasis of diseased lung segments) in the management of severe COPD/emphysema in appropriate candidates. For subjects in the medical management control group, upon completion of the 3-month F/U period, they will be eligible for EBV if they choose.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Emphysema or COPD | Procedure: Robotic or VATS lobar fissure completion Device: Endobronchial valves placement | Not Applicable |

Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 20 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Crossover Assignment |
Intervention Model Description: | This pilot randomized controlled trial is expected to enroll a total of 20 subjects with a follow-up period of 3 months. All interventions and follow-up will be performed at the BIDMC. Patients will be randomized to an intervention or medical management group using an opaque envelope technique in a 2-4 block pattern to assure a random and evenly distributed patient population. After the patient allocated to the medical management, the arm is followed for 3 months, they will be offered the robotic or VATS fissure completion procedure. It will be completely up to the candidates to undergo the intervention. If they decide that they want to proceed with surgery, the previously described methods will be used including the same surgical technique, same postoperative management, and same follow-up timelines and datapoints. |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Combined Zephyr Valve System With Inter-lobar Fissure Completion for Lung Volume Reduction in Emphysema: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial |
Actual Study Start Date : | August 1, 2021 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | August 1, 2023 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | August 1, 2023 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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No Intervention: Medical management group
COPD patients with severe emphysema and incomplete lobar fissures will be placed on maximal medical therapy for 3 months. At the end of this 3 month period, patients will fill in an additional set of quality of life questionnaires including the St.George Respiratory Questionnaire, COPD Assessment tool, and the modified medical research council dyspnea scale. New pulmonary function testing will be performed and crossover to the intervention group will be offered.
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Experimental: Intervention group
COPD patients with severe emphysema and incomplete lobar fissures will undergo video-assisted thoracic surgery fissure completion and valves placement. After a 3 month follow-up period, patients will fill additional quality of life questionnaires including the St.George Respiratory Questionnaire, COPD Assessment tool, and the modified medical research council dyspnea scale. Pulmonary function testing and a high-resolution CT scan will be performed at the end of the 3-month postoperative follow-up.
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Procedure: Robotic or VATS lobar fissure completion
The lobar fissure adjacent to the target lobe will be completed using a surgical stapler through robotic or video-assisted thoracic surgery. Device: Endobronchial valves placement Endobronchial valves will be placed in the target lobe after the fissure completion. |
Experimental: Crossover group
Subjects allocated to the medical management group will be offered to crossover after the 3 months follow-up period. The same procedure as in the intervention group will be performed. Follow-up after surgery will be the same as in the intervention group.
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Procedure: Robotic or VATS lobar fissure completion
The lobar fissure adjacent to the target lobe will be completed using a surgical stapler through robotic or video-assisted thoracic surgery. Device: Endobronchial valves placement Endobronchial valves will be placed in the target lobe after the fissure completion. |
- Prove that inter-lobar fissures can be completed to at least 95% via robotic thoracic surgery or VATS in severe emphysema patients [ Time Frame: 2 years ]We will determine that we met this feasibility objective if the target inter-lobar fissure can be completed in at least 90% of the patients undergoing surgery.
- Prove that patients consented for the procedure will ultimately undergo the intervention [ Time Frame: 2 years ]We will determine that the study is feasible if at least 90% of consented patients in the intervention arm undergo the procedure.
- Incidence of severe adverse events [ Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years ]We will actively monitor and record the severe adverse events that require any kind of additional intervention (medical or surgical) during and after the combined procedure. In case the treating physicians consider that the complications seen in patients outweigh the benefits obtained, the surgical technique will be revised and possible changes will be discussed.
- Percentage of patients to achieve target lung volume reduction [ Time Frame: 2 years ]Describe the percentage of patients that achieve target lung volume reduction of at least 350mL at three months after the combined procedure.
- Percentage of patients with quality of life improvement [ Time Frame: 2 years ]Describe the changes in quality of life based on three subjective questionnaires that will be given to patients at baseline and three months after any intervention.
- Percentage of patients with significant changes in pulmonary function testing [ Time Frame: 2 years ]Describe the changes in PFTs after the intervention.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 40 Years to 75 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 40 to 75 years.
- Stable with less than 10mg prednisone (or equivalent) daily.
- Nonsmoking for 4 months prior to screening and willing to not smoke during the study duration.
- Completed a supervised pulmonary rehabilitation program less than equal to 12 months prior to the baseline exam or is regularly performing maintenance respiratory rehabilitation if initial supervised therapy occurred greater than 12 months prior.
- Current pneumococcus vaccination.
- Current influenza vaccination.
- Willing and able to complete protocol required study follow-up assessments and procedures.
Exclusion Criteria:
- > 95% fissure completion on high-resolution chest CT-scan (HRCT) or StratX evaluation with a Chartis evaluation negative for collateral ventilation.
- Clinically significant (greater than 4 tablespoons per day) mucus production.
- Myocardial infarction within 6 months of screening.
- Uncontrolled congestive heart failure.
- Three or more pneumonia episodes in last year.
- Three or more COPD exacerbation episodes in the last year.
- Prior lung transplant, LVRS, bullectomy, or lobectomy.
- Clinically significant bronchiectasis.
- Unable to safely discontinue anticoagulants or platelet activity inhibitors for 7 days.
- Uncontrolled pulmonary hypertension (systolic pulmonary arterial pressure >45mmHg) or evidence or history of CorPulmonale as determined by a recent echocardiogram (completed within the last 3 months prior to screening visit).
- Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 40% as determined by a recent echocardiogram (completed within the last 3 months prior to screening visit).
- Resting bradycardia (<50 beats/min), frequent multifocal PVCs, complex ventricular arrhythmia, sustained SVT.
- Post-bronchodilator FEV1 less than 15% or greater than 45% of the predicted value at screening.
- TLC less than 100% predicted (determined by body plethysmography at screening).
- RV less than 150% predicted in patients with heterogeneous emphysema or less than 200% predicted in patients with homogeneous emphysema (determined by body plethysmography at screening).
- DLCO less than 20% of the predicted value at screening.
- Post-rehabilitation 6-minute walk distance less than 100 meters or greater than 450 meters at screening.
- PaCO2 greater than 50mmHg on room air at screening.
- PaO2 less than 45mmHg on room air at screening

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04801108
United States, Massachusetts | |
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Recruiting |
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215 | |
Contact: Adnan Majid, MD FCCP 617-632-8252 amajid@bidmc.harvard.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Adnan Majid, MD FCCP |
Responsible Party: | Adnan Majid, MD, Chief Interventional Pulmonology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04801108 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2021P000049 |
First Posted: | March 16, 2021 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | June 13, 2022 |
Last Verified: | June 2022 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | Yes |
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | Yes |
COPD Endobronchial valves Emphysema Video-assisted thoracic surgery Robotic thoracic surgery |
Pulmonary Emphysema Emphysema Pathologic Processes Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive Lung Diseases, Obstructive |
Lung Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases Chronic Disease Disease Attributes |