Fetal Endoscopic Tracheal Occlusion (FETO) for Severe Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (FETO)

January 27, 2026 updated by: Yair Blumenfeld

A Study of the Effectiveness of Fetal Endoscopic Tracheal Occlusion (FETO) in the Management of Severe Prenatally Diagnosed Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)

The purpose of the study is to study the efficacy of fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) in cases of severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This study will also collect safety and effectiveness data for the off-label use of the FETO Goldballoon (the balloon that will be inserted into the fetal trachea), manufactured by Balt medical. The investigators hope to study the risks and benefits of FETO in cases of severe CDH in an advanced medical center such as Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) Stanford with access to advanced maternal-fetal medicine, neonatal services, and neonatal ECMO, and pediatric surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
15

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Stanford, California, United States, 94305-6070
        • Recruiting
        • Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 50 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Maternal Age: 18-50
  • Singleton gestation
  • Gestational age before 29 weeks 6 days
  • Severe left or right-sided CDH: For severe left sided CDH observed-to-expected lung-to- head ratio (o/e LHR) less than 25% between 22 and 29 6/7 weeks' gestation, liver herniation, MRI lung volumes less than 30% expected based on gestational age nomograms. For severe right sided CDH o/e LHR less than 30 % between 22 and 29 6/7 weeks' gestation, liver herniation, MRI lung volumes less than 30% expected based on gestational age nomograms.
  • Normal genetic karyotype or microarray testing by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
  • Absence of associated fetal structural cardiac anomalies by a dedicated fetal echocardiogram
  • Absence of other structural anomalies by ultrasound or MRI
  • Appropriate multi-disciplinary counseling performed with maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, pediatric surgery, genetics, pediatric otolaryngology (ENT).
  • Must be willing to remain near LPCH Stanford (within 30 minutes from the hospital) for the duration of the balloon placement.
  • No maternal and/or fetal contra-indications to fetal surgery such as a bleeding disorder, poorly controlled diabetes or hypertension, short cervix (measuring < 20mm), risk for preterm birth etc.
  • Planned pregnancy surveillance at LPCH Stanford
  • Planned delivery at LPCH Stanford
  • Able to provide written consent
  • Willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability (meets psychosocial criteria) for the duration of the study including having a support person

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindications to fetal surgery including poorly controlled hypertension, diabetes or other maternal medical condition including hematological disorder
  • High risk for preterm labor and/or delivery based on either significant history of preterm birth, short cervix (measuring < 20mm), significant uterine anomaly or other risk factor, incompetent cervix (requiring cerclage)
  • Non-isolated CDH - CDH with additional structural anomalies
  • Significant maternal obesity defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40. BMI is a calculation which includes a person's height and weight
  • History of natural rubber latex allergy
  • Uterine anomaly such as large or multiple fibroids or mullerian duct abnormality
  • Participation in another intervention study that influences maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.
  • Bilateral CDH, left-sided CDH with O/E LHR >25%, or left-sided CDH with O/E LHR <25% but liver completely down in abdomen
  • Right-sided CDH O/E LHR >30% or right-sided CDH with O/E LHR <30% with liver completely down in abdomen
  • Significant placental abnormalities (abruption, chorioangioma, accreta) known at the time of enrollment and/or surgery
  • Maternal-fetal Rhesus isoimmunization, Kell sensitization or neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, affecting the current pregnancy.
  • Maternal HIV, Hepatitis B with positive surface antigen, Hepatitis C with presence of virus in maternal blood due to risk of fetal transmission during the procedure
  • No safe or feasible fetoscopic approach to balloon placement.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Fetal Endoscopic Tracheal Occlusion (FETO)
FETO is performed in-utero and the balloon is removed prior to delivery, and children will have follow-up visits until the age of 2
Device: Balt "Goldballoon"
Fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) is a procedure where a balloon is placed in the main airway or "windpipe" of the fetus, to help with the development of the lungs. This is performed using a fetoscope, a small camera that is inserted into the amniotic cavity and deploying the FETO Goldballoon into the fetal trachea.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Number of neonates who survive until initial hospital discharge
Time Frame: Average approximately 6 months (up to 1 year)
Average approximately 6 months (up to 1 year)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Number of neonates who survive until 28 days of life
Time Frame: 28 days
28 days
Number of children who survive until 6 months of age
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months
Number of children who survive until 1 year of age
Time Frame: 1 year
1 year
Number of children who survive until 2 years of age
Time Frame: 2 years
2 years
Number of children who receive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
Time Frame: Average approximately 6 months (up to 1 year)
Average approximately 6 months (up to 1 year)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Yair Blumenfeld

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Yair Blumenfeld, MD, Stanford University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 17, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 31, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 31, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 13, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 13, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 18, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 63230

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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