Novel Integrated Tube-Bougie Prototype for Endotracheal Intubation in Airway Simulation (ITBP)

August 31, 2026 updated by: Huseyin Cahit Halhalli, MD

A Prospective Randomized Crossover Simulation Study Comparing an Integrated Tube-Bougie Prototype With Standard Stilet-Assisted and Gum Elastic Bougie Assisted Endotracheal Intubation

Endotracheal intubation is a critical airway management procedure that frequently requires adjunctive devices, such as stylets or elastic bougies, to facilitate successful tube placement. Although videolaryngoscopy has become increasingly common, access to videolaryngoscopes remains limited in certain clinical settings, particularly in prehospital and resource-constrained environments. Consequently, stylets and bougies continue to play an essential role in airway management. To address this need, we developed a novel integrated tube-bougie prototype that combines the guidance function of an elastic bougie with an endotracheal tube into a single device.

This prospective, randomized, crossover simulation study is designed to compare the performance of the integrated tube-bougie prototype with conventional stylet-assisted and elastic bougie-assisted endotracheal intubation. Emergency medicine residents will perform intubations using all three techniques in both normal and difficult airway simulation scenarios according to a randomized crossover sequence.

The primary outcome is the time to successful endotracheal intubation. Secondary outcomes include first-attempt intubation success, perceived procedural difficulty assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), incidence of esophageal intubation, dental trauma, and evaluation of the learning curve using cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis.

The findings could contribute to the development of alternative airway assistive equipment for emergency airway management and training.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet 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.

Detailed Description

Endotracheal intubation is one of the most commonly performed advanced airway procedures in emergency and critical care. Successful intubation depends not only on adequate visualization of the glottis but also on successful advancement of the endotracheal tube through the vocal cords. Adjunctive devices, such as stylets and elastic bougies, are widely used to facilitate tube placement. However, these devices require additional procedural steps and device exchanges, which may increase procedural complexity and prolong intubation time.

EPATS (Integrated Tube-Bougie Prototype) is a novel airway device developed to integrate the guidance function of an elastic bougie directly into an endotracheal tube. By combining both functions into a single device, EPATS is intended to simplify the intubation process while preserving the advantages of bougie-assisted intubation.

This prospective, randomized, crossover simulation study will evaluate the performance of EPATS compared with conventional elastic bougie-assisted and stylet-assisted endotracheal intubation. Emergency medicine residents will perform endotracheal intubation using all three techniques in both normal and difficult airway simulation scenarios according to a randomized crossover sequence. Before study initiation, all participants will receive standardized training in the use of EPATS and the elastic bougie appropriate to their level of experience. All intubation procedures will be performed under standardized simulation conditions.

The primary outcome is the time to successful endotracheal intubation. Secondary outcomes include first-attempt intubation success, perceived procedural difficulty assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), incidence of esophageal intubation, dental trauma, and evaluation of the learning curve using cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis.

This study will determine whether EPATS improves procedural efficiency and intubation performance compared with conventional intubation adjuncts in a standardized simulation environment.

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.
40

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Kocaeli
      • Köseköy, Kocaeli, Turkey (Türkiye), 41060
        • University of Health Sciences, Kocaeli City 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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Professional Status: Being an Emergency Medicine Resident actively undergoing specialty training at the University of Health Sciences, Kocaeli City Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine.
  • Voluntary Participation: Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing written informed consent prior to enrollment.
  • Postgraduate year (PGY) 1-4 residents.
  • Willing and able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal to Participate: Declining to participate or refusing to provide written informed consent.
  • Physical or Neurological Limitations: Having any pre-existing physical, motor, or neurological impairment that could interfere with manual dexterity, procedural performance, or airway management simulation (e.g., hand injuries, tremors, etc.).
  • Inability to complete all study procedures.

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

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: EPATS
Participants will perform endotracheal intubation using the EPATS (Integrated Tube-Bougie Prototype) in both normal and difficult airway simulation scenarios.
Device: EPATS (Integrated Tube-Bougie Prototype)
The novel integrated tube-bougie prototype developed for endotracheal intubation.
Active Comparator: Standard Gum Elastic Bougie
Participants will perform endotracheal intubation using a standard gum elastic bougie in both normal and difficult airway simulation scenarios.
Device: Standard gum elastic bougie
Standard gum elastic bougie used as an intubation adjunct.
Active Comparator: Standard Stylet
Participants will perform endotracheal intubation using a standard stylet in both normal and difficult airway simulation scenarios.
Device: Standard stylet
Standard intubating stylet used as an intubation adjunct.

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to successful endotracheal intubation
Time Frame: During the study procedure
The insertion and removal time (seconds) of the laryngoscope from the mouth will be recorded.
During the study procedure

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
First Pass Success (FPS)
Time Frame: During the study procedure
Successful endotracheal intubation without removing the laryngoscope from the mouth. Attempts exceeding 60 seconds will be considered unsuccessful.
During the study procedure
Difficulty Assessment (VAS)
Time Frame: At the end of the study procedure
The practitioner's difficulty perception will be measured using a 0-100 mm visual analog scale.
At the end of the study procedure
Complications (Dental trauma and Esophageal intubation)
Time Frame: During the study procedure
Complications for each procedure (dental trauma and esophageal intubation) will be determined by the researchers.
During the study procedure
Learning Curve (CUSUM)
Time Frame: During the study procedure
For each participant, success/failure data will be used for analysis; this analysis will be considered exploratory. The number of endotracheal intubation attempts required to learn will be recorded in the data collection. Sequential intubation performance data will be analyzed using cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis.
During the study procedure

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.
Huseyin Cahit Halhalli, MD

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Health Institutes of Turkey

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 (Estimated)

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.
October 15, 2026

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.
November 30, 2026

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.
December 15, 2026

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 31, 2026

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 31, 2026

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.
August 5, 2026

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.
September 2, 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.
August 31, 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.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • ITBP-2026-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Anonymized individual participant data (IPD) that comprise the published results will be shared. The shared data will include participant characteristics, randomization order, intubation performance measures (time to successful intubation, success on first attempt, difficulty rating, complications), and variables comprising primary and secondary analyses. No personal information will be included.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Beginning 6 months after publication.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Data will be provided to the relevant author upon reasonable request for scientifically valid research purposes. Access will be granted only after requests have been reviewed and approved by all researchers and a data usage agreement has been signed.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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