Hypopharynx ICG to Reduce the Fistula Rate in Patients Undergoing Salvage Laryngectomy

Surgery Site Fistula Clinical Trial

Official title:

Randomized Phase II Study to Compare Intraoperative Indocyanine Green (ICG) Imaging and Guided Mucosal Debridement vs Observation (Standard of Care) to Reduce the Fistula Rate in Patients Undergoing Salvage Laryngectomy

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05350540
• Other study ID #: 20-5419
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: November 11, 2021
• Est. completion date: November 2028

Study information

• Verified date: May 2022
• Source: University Health Network, Toronto
• Contact: Douglas Chepeha, MD
• Phone: (416) 340-3082
• Email: douglas.chepeha[@]uhn.ca
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

A laryngectomy involves removing the voice box from the throat. After the voice box has been removed from the throat, the surgeon sews the throat closed. Sometimes part of the throat does not heal and saliva runs out of the throat. This is called a fistula. When a fistula happens, healing takes longer and patients will have to wait to eat and start speaking. The test in this research project is called ICG scan (indocyanine green) and tells the surgeon how much blood is flowing to different parts of the throat. If the test shows that there are parts of your throat that have low blood flow, which will delay healing. Only half of the patients in the study will get the ICG scan. This is so the patients who had the ICG scan can be compared to the patients that did not have the ICG scan to determine if the ICG scan really helps decrease fistulas.

Description:

Salvage laryngectomy is associated with the highest morbidity and mortality in head and neck cancer patients. Pharyngocutaneous fistula is one of the most common surgical complication in the patient population and affects up to a third of patients undergoing total laryngectomy (TL) and pharyngolaryngectomy (PL). PCF is associated to increased rates of wound infections, prolonged hospitalization and vascular embarrassment (rupture and hemorrhage from major vessels). The use of vascularized flaps to assist in the reconstruction of the pharynx after laryngectomy have reduced the severity of complications patients experience after salvage laryngectomy. There is now interest in the quality of the vascular supply of the recipient pharyngeal tissue (pharyngeal mucosa). It is possible that vascular imaging of the recipient pharyngeal mucosa would provide the surgeon with intraoperative information that could guide pharyngeal mucosal debridement to remove any remaining pharyngeal tissue that has marginal vascularity (viability).

Initially developed in the 1950's, ICG imaging was used to assess retinal perfusion. Imaging acquisition with ICG uses a near-infrared wavelength (835nm) laser detection system. ICG imaging can also be used to direct debridement of marginally viable tissue. This approach has significantly reduced wound complications in patients undergoing breast reconstruction and colorectal surgery. ICG imaging has thus been found to be a reliable predictor of mucosal viability. Perfusion imaging studies in colorectal surgery, using laser fluorescence angiography, have shown a notable reduction in surgical revisions associated to anastomotic leaks, and a reduced hospitalization time. Preliminary reports in head and neck reconstructive surgery have shown an association between poor mucosal vascularity and higher fistula rate. In addition, ICG imaging and guided mucosal debridement suggest lower fistula rates.

We will be conducting a Phase II randomized trial study to assess the utility of ICG imaging for tissue perfusion, in order to reduce pharyngocutaneous fistula rate among patients undergoing salvage laryngectomy and vascularized tissue (flap) closure

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 70
• Est. completion date: November 2028
• Est. primary completion date: November 2028
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Signed written and voluntary informed consent.

• Patient must be willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment plan, laboratory tests and other study procedures.

• Age > 18 years, male or female.

• Patient must be undergoing salvage laryngectomy after radiation or chemoradiation. By definition, the patients are considered resectable by the treating head and neck surgeon.

• The expected pharyngeal defect must be conducive to imaging with the ICG.

• Vascularized tissue augmentation (flap) is part of the operative plan (supra- or infraclavicular flap excludes the patient).

• ECOG performance status 0-2.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Total Laryngopharyngectomy

• On immune suppression medications

• Current hematologic malignancy

• Pregnancy

• Allergy to Iodine

• TSH greater than 8

• BMI less than 18

• Vascularized augmentation is a supra or infraclavicular rotational flap

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Fistula
• Surgery Site Fistula

Intervention

Other:
• ICG dye
Patients assigned to the intervention group will undergo surgery guided by tissue perfusion as directed by the ICG imaging

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	University Health Network	Toronto	Ontario

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University Health Network, Toronto	Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	ICG Perfusion	Perfusion of the mucosa after the administration of ICG will be recorded.	Collected at time of surgery
Primary	Surgical Complications	The complications the study participants experience post-surgically, if any, will be recorded.	Collected up to 1 week after hospital discharge
Secondary	Disease Status	The health condition and disease stage of the participants will be collected at different time points.	Collected at times week 1, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Secondary	Laryngeal Rehabilitation	Participants' means of communication using voice prosthesis or other devices will be collected at different time points.	Collected at times week 1, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months
Secondary	Speech and Swallowing Questionnaire	This is a disease specific, 5-item, administered questionnaire to evaluate post-treatment speech and swallowing ability measure will provide critical data on the socialization of the patient as it relates to speaking and eating.	Administered at times week 1, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months