Mesenteric Traction Syndrome During Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery

Sponsor
Rigshospitalet, Denmark (Other)
Overall Status
Completed
CT.gov ID
NCT02507414
Collaborator
Danish Cancer Society (Other)
75
1
25

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

It is the hypothesis of this project that the Mesenteric Traction Syndrome (MTS) is a common event during upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery (UGC surgery) and that the induction of the syndrome is an important factor in provoking further peri- and postoperative complications and in worsening the surgical stress response (SSR). The characteristics of MTS is hypotension, tachycardia, and flushing.

In order to uncover the role of MTS in cancer surgery and the effects on the oncological patients, the aim of the project is:

  1. To characterize MTS in patients undergoing three common forms of UGC surgery using a new objective methodology and by recording biomarkers suspected of playing a role in the pathophysiology of MTS and postoperative complication development.
Three different interventions will be examined during this prospective trial:
  1. Continuous measurement of microcirculation on the forehead using Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging during surgery.

  2. Analyses of plasma samples obtained pre-, intra-, and one day postoperatively.

  3. Continuous measurements of haemodynamic variables during surgery.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Other: Blood samples
  • Other: Measurement of microcirculation
  • Other: Head down tilt
N/A

Detailed Description

Background

Surgical procedures for upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGC) induce a considerable risk of morbidity and mortality, and more than half of all UGC patients die within one year of diagnosis. Radical surgery is crucial to survival, but is associated with a high risk of complications which contributes to a poor long-term prognosis. Despite advances in surgical techniques and perioperative management, postoperative complications frequently occur.

An essential part of gastrointestinal cancer surgery is the reconstruction of the digestive tract by forming a gut-to-gut reconnection, an anastomosis. Especially during UGC surgery this reconstructive anastomosis is at high risk of insufficient healing and can thus leak intestinal contents into the surrounding tissues, causing life-threatening infections. Development of measures that can reduce the perioperative complications in these vulnerable patients is therefore of vital importance

Patients undergoing surgery for UGC are subjected to a substantial trauma reaction termed the surgical stress response (SSR). SSR is characterized by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, the endocrine system, as well as by immunological and hematological responses leading to hypotension, systemic and local inflammation. In addition, surgical stress can cause immunosuppression in response to the complex interaction of various hormones, cytokines and acute phase reactants. Furthermore, it has recently been reported that perioperative immunosuppression increases the incidence of cancer recurrence, growth of metastases and reduces survival.

A contributing factor to SSR, and possibly most importantly, to the rate of postoperative complications, may be the mesenteric traction syndrome (MTS). MTS arises when the organs of the abdomen are manipulated during surgery. One of the main symptoms is substantial circulatory changes (hypotension, tachycardia and subsequent flushing), which can potentially lead to surgical complications.

Hypothesis and aim

It is the hypothesis of this project that the Mesenteric Traction Syndrome (MTS) is a common event during UGC-surgery and that the induction of the syndrome is an important factor in provoking further peri- and postoperative complications and in worsening the SSR. In order to uncover the role of MTS in cancer surgery and the effects on the oncological patients, the aim of the project is:

To characterize MTS in patients undergoing three common forms of UGC surgery using a new objective methodology and by recording biomarkers suspected of playing a role in the pathophysiology of MTS and postoperative development of complications.

Methods

75 patients undergoing UGC surgery (25 each of the three most common cancer types of UGC) will be included. This study will use a novel skin flushing measuring method called laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) to measure skin blood flow of the forehead. LSCI is a real-time and non-touch measuring device capable of measuring blood flow on a large field surface (15 cm x 20 cm). In parallel, inflammatory and hormonal stress biomarkers considered to be associated with SSR, will be measured. In this study, it is hypothesized, that by correlating a new method of quantifiable flushing measurement and known biomarkers, it is possible to relate the extent of flushing to the severity of hypotension and MTS and by proxy the extent of complications.

Furthermore, the participants will be exposed to head down tilt at three pre defined time points with subsequent monitoring of haemodynamics and SSR. This intervention is done to assess the patients' fluid status in the end of surgery as well as postoperatively, as hypovolemia is associated with postoperative complications.

Statistics

The incidence of MTS in UGC patients was previously unknown and power calculations was performed based on previous reported cases of MTS during abdominal surgery (incidence of 30% and 85%). 15 patients are required in each group in order to obtain a statistical power greater than 0.90 with an α-level of < 0.05,. Groups of 25 patients are therefore chosen to ensure statistical significance.

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Actual Enrollment :
75 participants
Allocation:
N/A
Intervention Model:
Single Group Assignment
Masking:
None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose:
Diagnostic
Official Title:
Characterization of the Mesenteric Traction Syndrome During Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery for Malignant Disease
Study Start Date :
Aug 1, 2014
Actual Primary Completion Date :
Sep 1, 2016
Actual Study Completion Date :
Sep 1, 2016

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Group 1

Patients under going Whipple's procedure, gastric resection and liver resection (n=75). Interventions: Blood samples obtained pre-, intra-, and one day postoperatively (n=15). Measurements of microcirculation using LSCI from procedure start and up to 60 min during surgery. Head down tilt of 20 degrees at three time points.

Other: Blood samples
15 arterial blood samples (pre-, intra- and one day postoperatively); no more than 180ml in total over two days.

Other: Measurement of microcirculation
Measurement of microcirculation with Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (non-touch setup with no side effects); continuous measurement of the microvascular blood flow on the forehead up to 60 minutes starting one minute before the surgical procedure.
Other Names:
  • LSCI
  • Other: Head down tilt
    At three different time points the participants will be head down tilted in 20 degrees. End of surgery (A) One hour postoperatively (B) 18 hours postoperatively (C)

    Outcome Measures

    Primary Outcome Measures

    1. Relative changes in plasma-hormone concentrations (pro-ANP, PGF2, GLP-1, ACTH, cortisone, adrenaline, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alfa and CRP (stress hormones)) from baseline. [15 blood samples obtained pre-, intra-, and 18 hours postoperatively]

      A: the day before the surgical procedure B: After induction of anaesthesia (baseline) C: 5 min intraoperatively D: 15 min intraoperatively E: 30 min intraoperatively F: 60 min intraoperatively G: 90 min intraoperatively H: 120 min intraoperatively I: 180 min intraoperatively J: Procedure ending K: 5 min after head down tilt (1) L: One hour after surgery M: 5 min after head down tilt (2) N: 18 hours postoperatively O: 5 min after head down tilt (3)

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    1. Postoperative complications [Participants will be followed during the hospital stay, with an expected average of ten days]

      All complications will be registered on every postoperative day until discharge.

    2. Relative changes in heart rate from baseline measured in beats per minute [Continuous measurements intra- and postoperatively.]

      The variable will be obtained during the surgical procedure using modelflow (Nexfin, BMEYE B.V. Amsterdam, Holland)

    3. Relative changes in microcirculation from baseline during surgery measured in flux-units [A continuous measurement starting one minute prior to the surgical procedure and terminates after 60 minutes.]

      Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) is a real-time and non-touch measuring device capable of measuring blood flow on a large field surface (0.5 cm x 0.7 cm up to 15 cm x 20 cm). The infrared LSCI camera is placed at a distance of 20-30 cm and measures the relative flow (flux) at a depth of 1-2 mm by infrared light reflected from circulating erythrocytes in the micro-vessels. The technique will be used for quantifying facial flushing (i.e. increased blood flow to the facial region) during the first hour of surgery, when the MTS is frequently observed.

    4. 30-days and 90-days mortality [30-days and 90-days mortality]

    5. Length of stay [Expected time frame of 10 days in average.]

    6. Relative changes in median arterial pressure from baseline measured in mmHg [Continuous measurements intra- and postoperatively.]

      The variable will be obtained during the surgical procedure using modelflow (Nexfin, BMEYE B.V. Amsterdam, Holland)

    7. Relative changes in cardiac output from baseline measured in litres per minute [Continuous measurements intra- and postoperatively.]

      The variable will be obtained during the surgical procedure using modelflow (Nexfin, BMEYE B.V. Amsterdam, Holland)

    8. Relative changes in systemic vascular resistance from baseline measured in dyn.s/cm5 [Continuous measurements intra- and postoperatively.]

      The variable will be obtained during the surgical procedure using modelflow (Nexfin, BMEYE B.V. Amsterdam, Holland)

    Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria

    Ages Eligible for Study:
    18 Years and Older
    Sexes Eligible for Study:
    All
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
    No
    Inclusion Criteria:
    • patients under going either whipple's procedure, liver resection, or gastric resection.
    Exclusion Criteria:
    • Robotic assisted procedures

    • Lack of informed consent

    Contacts and Locations

    Locations

    No locations specified.

    Sponsors and Collaborators

    • Rigshospitalet, Denmark
    • Danish Cancer Society

    Investigators

    None specified.

    Study Documents (Full-Text)

    None provided.

    More Information

    Publications

    Responsible Party:
    Rikard Ambrus, MD, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT02507414
    Other Study ID Numbers:
    • H-3-2014-021
    First Posted:
    Jul 24, 2015
    Last Update Posted:
    Oct 5, 2016
    Last Verified:
    Oct 1, 2016
    Keywords provided by Rikard Ambrus, MD, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
    Additional relevant MeSH terms:

    Study Results

    No Results Posted as of Oct 5, 2016