Clinical Research Directory

Effects of Intraoperative Targeted Temperature Management on Incidence of Postoperative Delirium and Long-term Survival

Intraoperative hypothermia is common in patients having major surgery and the compliance with intraoperative temperature monitoring and management remains poor. Studies suggest that intraoperative hypothermia is an important risk factor of postoperative delirium, which is associated with worse early and long-term outcomes. Furthermore, perioperative hypothermia increases stress responses and provokes immune suppression, which might promote cancer recurrence and metastasis. In a recent trial, targeted temperature management reduced intraoperative hypothermia and emergence delirium. There was also a trend of reduced postoperative delirium, although not statistically significant. This trial is designed to test the hypothesis that intraoperative targeted temperature management may reduce postoperative delirium and improves progression-free survival in older patients recovering from major cancer surgery.

Preoperative Physical Exercise, Nutritional Support, and Psychological Intervention (Multimodal Prehabilitation) to Strengthen Patients' Overall Health and Reduce Postoperative Complications

In this prospective, randomized, controlled trial patients undergoing major gastrointestinal cancer surgery will be exercised (intervention group) 4 weeks before surgery with a high-intensity interval training (HIIT). They will also receive a specialized nutrition therapy and psychological support (multimodal prehabilitation). Aim of this study is to find out if the prehabilitation group is more resilient to postoperative complications when compared to the control group that will receive standard of care. Another goal is to unravel the underlying mechanisms that are stimulated by exercise like enhancing vascular function, improving immune system response, strengthen cellular tumor defense and optimizing neurological outcome.

Using Artificial Intelligence to Guide Fluid Therapy During Major Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if using artificial intelligence to guide intravenous fluid therapy during major cancer surgery can help keep blood pressure more stable compared with usual care in adult patients undergoing major cancer surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does artificial intelligence-guided fluid therapy reduce hypotensive events during surgery? * Does this approach improve recovery and reduce complications after major cancer surgery? Researchers will compare artificial intelligence-guided fluid therapy with standard fluid management to see if the artificial intelligence-guided approach provides better support during surgery. Participants will: * Undergo major cancer surgery under general anesthesia * Receive either artificial intelligence-guided fluid management or standard fluid management during surgery * Be monitored during and after surgery as part of routine clinical care * Be followed after surgery to assess recovery and possible complications

Virtual Group Prehabilitation Education (Surgery School) Feasibility Trial

One in four patients requiring planned major surgery have complications. Prehabilitation; which involves increasing physical activity, improving nutrition and supporting emotional well-being prior to surgery can reduce these complications and improve recovery. Group preoperative prehabilitation classes (surgery schools) are advocated by the Centre for Perioperative Care and are standard care in many hospitals, despite a lack of evidence for their effectiveness in improving patient outcomes. In phase 1 an 2 of this research investigators used patient experiences and co-participatory methods to optimise an existing intervention to make it as acceptable and as engaging as possible. The resulting education package is called 'GoPREPARE' Investigators now intend to test the practicalities of trialing GoPREPARE on preoperative patients with cancer. 24 patients awaiting surgery will be recruited from University Hospital Plymouth and randomly allocated equally to: Group - GoPREPARE and Group 2- standard care. Participants will complete lifestyle questionnaires before during and after their hospital stay. To evaluate the experience, \~8 participants will be interviewed. 5 clinical staff involved in the trial will also take part in a focus group. The information collected will be analysed to assess if it is feasible to conduct a larger trial.

Optimal Perioperative Pain Control in Minimally Invasive Abdominal Cancer Surgery

This is a research study to evaluate the effectiveness of 3 different types of routine pain management regimens used during clinically indicated, minimally invasive oncologic (cancer) surgery. This project is considered "Research" and participation is voluntary. Upon enrollment in this study, the research team will collect data from the patient's medical records. The patient will undergo all of the normal testing and procedures required pre-operatively (standard of care). The study team will then randomly assign the patient (like a flip of a coin) to one of three different study arms for pain management during surgery: 1. Laparoscopic Transversus Abdominis Plane Block (LapTAP) with Local Anesthetic (LA) 2. Laparoscopic Transversus Abdominis Plane Block (LapTAP) only 3. Local Anesthetic (LA) only The patient will receive standard pre- and post-operative care according to clinical guidelines (routine care). The study team will collect information from the patient's medical record for the first 24 hours after their surgery and upon discharge. This information will include pain scores, amount of medication required, any side effects the patient may have experienced, and satisfaction with pain control. Participation in the study will end upon discharge from the hospital.

Multimodal Prehabilitation in Cancer Surgery

The PROPOSE RCT is a two-arm randomized controlled trial that will be conducted to test the efficacy of a personalized, multidisciplinary pre-operative prehabilitation program (preventive prehabilitation) to reduce serious complications and facilitate recovery after surgery in high-risk patients. The multimodal prehabilitation program is a preoperative intervention that includes exercise training, nutritional therapy and anxiety reduction techniques, with the aim of preventing or mitigating the functional decline brought about by surgery. 400 patients scheduled for elective major abdominal (including urological), thoracic (including breast) or gynecological cancer surgery will be enrolled. They will be randomized (1:1 ratio) and assigned either to the intervention group (Prehabilitation) or to the control group, which will only be treated according to the usual standard of care within the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways.

Prehabilitation to Improve Heart Rate Variability (PRIME)

Cancer patients require chronic management and care. For those individuals living with cancer, a comprehensive approach that acknowledges the interdisciplinary nature of their condition can help guide appropriate care strategies and support their overall well-being. Approximately 45% of patients diagnosed with cancer undergo surgery to remove their tumor. Despite the advancements in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and perioperative care, major cancer surgeries still pose a significant challenge leading to a considerable decline in physiological and functional capacity. Traditionally, efforts focused on postoperative rehabilitation to enhance recovery. Recently, prehabilitation, a form of rehabilitation which aims to improve functional capacity before surgery, has gained attention for its potential benefits in improving surgical outcomes. However, prehabilitation lacks objective assessment measures to evaluate its effectiveness. Developing validated outcome measures is essential to enhance the impact of prehabilitation on surgical outcomes and long-term care for cancer patients. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological parameter that measures the variation in time intervals between consecutive heartbeats, reflecting the autonomic nervous system activity which might serve as a valuable solution for objective outcome measures in evaluating the effectiveness of prehabilitation for cancer patients, providing an objective tool to assess and monitor physiological response to stress, recovery capacity, and autonomic nervous system activity. A multicenter randomized controlled trial will be conducted to assess the impact of a multimodal prehabilitation program on HRV. Patients aged 18 or older, scheduled for elective major cancer surgery will be randomized to receive either prehabilitation or standard care. The prehabilitation arm will receive a program involving home-based physical, nutritional, and psychological interventions for at least four weeks. Participants allocated to the control group will receive usual care. Patients will be followed throughout the study using an innovative mobile application, allowing for real-time monitoring and data collection during the prehabilitation program. The study has two primary outcomes: A) to assess the impact of prehabilitation on increasing preoperative HRV in chronic cancer patients undergoing surgery; B) to assess the effect of prehabilitation on length of hospital stay.

Perioperative Dexmedetomidine and Long-term Survival After Cancer Surgery

Along with aging population, cancer incidence and mortality are increasing. However, despite advances in oncology and surgery, long-term survival of cancer patients is far from optimal. Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective alpha 2 adrenergic receptor agonist with sedative, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects. Studies showed that perioperative use of dexmedetomidine reduces delirium and some non-delirium complications after surgery. In long-term follow-up studies of older patients who, for other reasons, were randomized to receive either dexmedetomidine or placebo during intra- or postoperative period, dexmedetomidine use was associated with improved long-term survival. This multicenter randomized trial aims to investigate the effect of perioperative dexmedetomidine on long-term outcomes in older patients undergoing cancer surgery.

Landmark Versus Ultrasongraphy Guided Spinal Anesthesia in Lower Abdominal Surgeries in Cancer Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Spinal anesthesia is a commonly employed technique for lower abdominal surgeries, providing effective anesthesia and analgesia with minimal systemic effects. In cancer patients undergoing such procedures, careful consideration of anesthetic techniques is crucial, given their often-compromised physiological state and the need to minimize postoperative complications. Two approaches to administering spinal anesthesia are Ultrasound (US)-guided and the traditional landmark-based technique. the aim of the study :To evaluate the efficacy, safety and feasibility of US-guided spinal anesthesia versus the landmark-based technique in cancer patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery.