Precision TOF-Guided Sugammadex Versus Spontaneous Recovery for Early Extubation in Minimally Invasive Pediatric Cardiac Surgery (TOF)

August 29, 2026 updated by: Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang

Precision Neuromuscular Management: Quantitative TOF-Guided Sugammadex Versus Spontaneous Recovery for Early Extubation in Pediatric Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (A Prospective Observational Cohort Study)

This prospective observational cohort study evaluates a precision neuromuscular management strategy in pediatric patients undergoing minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). Integrating MICS with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways has transformed perioperative management of congenital heart disease by enabling earlier recovery and reducing dependence on intensive care resources. A key component of these fast-track protocols is early tracheal extubation, preferably in the operating room (OR). Successful OR extubation promotes rapid return to spontaneous ventilation, decreases ICU utilization, and reduces the respiratory and hemodynamic risks associated with prolonged postoperative mechanical ventilation. To address critical perioperative challenges, including improving recovery outcomes and optimizing resource utilization in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) children's hospitals, this study compares the clinical efficacy, safety, and resource outcomes of quantitative train-of-four (TOF)-guided sugammadex administration with actively monitored spontaneous recovery.

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.

Detailed Description

At the investigator's center, minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) via a right mid-axillary approach for congenital heart defects such as ventricular septal defect (VSD) and atrial septal defect (ASD) accounts for approximately one-third of all pediatric cardiac surgeries requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (about 400 of 1,200 annual cases). In this high-volume setting, limited intensive care unit (ICU) bed availability creates a strong clinical imperative to facilitate early tracheal extubation, reduce mechanical ventilation duration, and shorten ICU length of stay.

Early extubation, including extubation in the operating room (OR), requires adequate recovery of consciousness, spontaneous ventilation, and analgesia. Advances in anesthetic management, including rapidly cleared sedatives, multimodal analgesia, and regional anesthesia techniques, have substantially reduced the impact of sedation and opioid-related respiratory depression. Consequently, residual neuromuscular blockade has become a major physiological barrier to successful early extubation.

In many pediatric cardiac centers in Vietnam, patients undergoing MICS are routinely transferred to the ICU with postoperative mechanical ventilation and without pharmacologic neuromuscular reversal. Even when surgical repair is uncomplicated and hemodynamics are stable, extubation is often delayed until spontaneous recovery from neuromuscular blockade occurs.

Sugammadex provides rapid and effective reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade and has an established safety profile. However, resource constraints may limit routine use, and evidence supporting precision dosing strategies in pediatric MICS remains limited. Quantitative train-of-four (TOF) monitoring serves as the foundation of the institution's neuromuscular management strategy by objectively measuring the depth and recovery of neuromuscular blockade, enabling informed decisions regarding either targeted sugammadex administration or continued observation for spontaneous recovery. This precision-monitoring approach may facilitate earlier extubation while avoiding unnecessary reversal therapy and associated costs.

This study is strictly observational. All patients receive standard care according to the institution's established early-extubation cardiac anesthesia pathway, which includes multimodal analgesia, processed electroencephalographic monitoring (SedLine/Patient State Index), and continuous quantitative TOF monitoring. The study does not alter perioperative management or influence the attending anesthesiologist's decision regarding neuromuscular reversal. Instead, it prospectively evaluates the clinical and resource outcomes associated with existing practice patterns.

The investigators hypothesize that quantitative TOF-guided neuromuscular management will be associated with higher rates of successful early operating room extubation, shorter mechanical ventilation duration, reduced ICU resource utilization, and safe avoidance of unnecessary sugammadex administration in selected patients.

Therefore, this prospective observational cohort study aims to:

  1. Compare neuromuscular recovery, resource utilization, and adverse events between quantitative TOF-guided sugammadex administration and monitored spontaneous recovery.
  2. Identify factors associated with successful early tracheal extubation following pediatric minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

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.
Observational

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.
80

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 Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Vietnam
      • Hanoi, Vietnam, 100000
        • Recruiting
        • Vietnam National Children's Hospital (VNCH)
        • Contact:
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Truong Ly Thinh Nguyen, A/Professor

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

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of pediatric patients, aged 2 to 18 years, diagnosed with simple congenital heart defects (primarily Atrial Septal Defects and Ventricular Septal Defects). These patients are scheduled to undergo elective, minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass via a right mid-axillary thoracotomy approach.

To be included in the cohort, patients must be deemed appropriate clinical candidates for the institution's established early-extubation (fast-track) cardiac anesthesia pathway, which mandates the routine use of objective anesthetic depth monitoring (e.g., SedLine/Patient State Index) and continuous quantitative train-of-four (TOF) neuromuscular monitoring. Patients arriving intubated, requiring complex open sternotomy, or presenting with preexisting neuromuscular, hepatic, or renal disease that alters the pharmacokinetics of neuromuscular blocking agents are excluded from the population.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age older than 2 years and up to 18 years at the time of surgery.
  • Scheduled for elective minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) via a right mid-axillary thoracotomy for the repair of simple congenital heart defects (e.g., Ventricular Septal Defect, Atrial Septal Defect).
  • Surgery requiring the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
  • Deemed an appropriate clinical candidate for the institutional early-extubation (fast-track) pathway.
  • Intraoperative neuromuscular blockade maintained using rocuronium.
  • Continuous intraoperative quantitative train-of-four (TOF) monitoring applied and calibrated.
  • Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients arriving at the operating room already intubated or requiring preoperative mechanical ventilation.
  • Documented history of preexisting neuromuscular disorders (e.g., myasthenia gravis, muscular dystrophy) that alter the pharmacodynamics of neuromuscular blocking agents.
  • Known hypersensitivity or severe allergic reaction to sugammadex, rocuronium, or any of their excipients.
  • Severe preoperative hepatic dysfunction or renal impairment (e.g., estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate < [30] mL/min/1.73m²), which alters the clearance of sugammadex or muscle relaxants.
  • Intraoperative surgical complications requiring conversion from a right mid-axillary thoracotomy to an open median sternotomy.
  • Intraoperative events mandating delayed extubation for patient safety (e.g., severe hemodynamic instability, massive hemorrhage, or refractory arrhythmias).
  • Inability to establish or maintain reliable quantitative TOF monitoring data during the procedure.

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
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.
TOF-Guided Sugammadex Cohort
Pediatric MICS patients whose attending anesthesiologist elected to administer sugammadex for NMB reversal, with the dose tailored to the precise depth of the neuromuscular block as measured by quantitative TOF monitoring.
Drug: Sugammadex
Intravenous administration of sugammadex, with dosing (mg/kg) titrated to real-time quantitative train-of-four (TOF) monitoring data rather than standard fixed-weight dosing. (Assigned to Cohort 1).
Monitored Spontaneous Recovery Cohort
Pediatric MICS patients whose attending anesthesiologist elected to forego pharmacological NMB reversal based on quantitative TOF monitoring, allowing the patient to achieve extubation criteria through actively monitored spontaneous recovery.

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 Tracheal Extubation
Time Frame: Up to 24 hours post-surgery.
Time interval from the cessation of anesthetic maintenance agents (end of surgery) to successful tracheal extubation meeting predefined clinical criteria.
Up to 24 hours post-surgery.

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
Time to TOF Ratio >/= 0.90
Time Frame: Perioperative/Periprocedural
Time interval from the intervention (administration of sugammadex or start of spontaneous recovery observation) until the quantitative monitor displays a TOF ratio of >/= 0.90.
Perioperative/Periprocedural
Administered Sugammadex Dose
Time Frame: Intraoperative (at the time of NMB reversal).
The precise dose of sugammadex administered, calculated in mg/kg, based on the TOF-guided clinical decision.
Intraoperative (at the time of NMB reversal).
Specific Drug Cost Reductions
Time Frame: From enrollment to hospital discharge in 10 days
Calculated difference in drug acquisition costs between the tailored dose administered (or omitted in the spontaneous cohort) versus the standard theoretical 2.0 or 4.0 mg/kg dose.
From enrollment to hospital discharge in 10 days

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.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang

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.
  • Study Chair: Nguyen Huu Tu, Professor, Hanoi Medical University (HMU)

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.
December 4, 2025

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.
December 31, 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 31, 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).
August 18, 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.
August 29, 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.
September 1, 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 1, 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 29, 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

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.
  • 6524/QĐ-ĐHYHN

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data (IPD) that underlie the results reported in the published article, along with the study protocol and statistical analysis plan, will be made available to qualified researchers.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Data will be available from 6 months to 36 months after article publication.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Data will be shared with researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal to achieve the aims outlined in the approved proposal. Proposals should be directed to the corresponding author. To access the data, requesters must sign a data access agreement.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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