First-in-human Navigation Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) System Clinical Study (APEUS-Nav1)

The implementation of Echo-endoscopy (or EUS for: Endoscopic UltraSound) is limited by the difficulty of obtaining quality EUS procedures, since the accuracy of the method relies on the endoscopist's abilities. Indeed, both cognitive and technical skills are required for endoscopic manipulation and image interpretation, as well as a thorough knowledge of intra-abdominal anatomy. The "EUS-GPS" system aims to assist the operator in understanding the orientation and location of the probe tip within the patient. For that, a Global Positioning System (GPS) for EUS procedures is intraoperatively provided, using a 3D-based model based on recorded preoperative data.

In this clinical investigation, the EUS GPS system is intended to help EUS operators to correctly navigate towards the pancreatic gland, perform a comprehensive assessment of the area of interest, and aid in the detection and identification of lesions.

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Pancreatic Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: EUS navigation system

Detailed Description

Since its emergence in the 1980s, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is considered as one of the most accurate tools for the evaluation of the pancreatic gland and other gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Despite its utility, the practice of EUS is still far from being part of every endoscopy suite due to its high set-up cost and the relative scarcity of credentialed experts. EUS implementation worldwide has been limited by the difficulty of achieving quality EUS procedures, since the accuracy of the method relies on the endoscopist's abilities. Both cognitive and technical competencies are required for endoscopic manipulation and image interpretation, as well as extensive knowledge of intraabdominal anatomy.

The aim of the APEUS (Augmented Pancreatic Endoscopic UltraSound) project is to overcome these two main difficulties by providing a Global Positioning System (GPS)-like intraoperative navigation for EUS procedures, using a 3D-based model on registered preoperative data. The hypothesis is that, thanks to this tool, the procedures time would be shortened, and the pancreas and its lesions would be completely imaged. This would reduce the demand for experts guiding trainees and shorten the EUS learning curve.

This first-in-human clinical study will enable the assessment of safety and qualitative performance of the EUS-GPS solution. The primary objective is to evaluate the EUS navigation system's procedure duration compared to standard procedure times (patient group with the EUS-GPS system vs control group without).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 21
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Strasbourg, France, 67000
    • Pôle Hépato-Digestif, NHC

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Man or woman over the age of 18 years old
• Patient having a EUS procedure for pancreas study planned within the frame of his or her clinical care.
• Patient whom pre-operative imaging indicates one lesion with a good definition on the triphasic CT scan done within the 60 days prior to the EUS.
• Patient able to receive and understand information related to the study and give his or her written consent
• Patient affiliated to the French social security system

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient unable to give informed consent
• Patient with altered anatomy of the upper digestive tract due to previous surgery
• Patient with known abnormal anatomy of the upper digestive tract
• Patient wearing a metal implantable device (pacemaker, etc.)
• Patient presenting, according to the investigator's judgment, a disease which may prevent participation in the procedures provided for by the study
• Patient with an ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) score >2
• Patient with multiple pancreatic lesions.
• Patient unable to tolerate general anaesthesia
• Patient with a body mass index (BMI) < 23 and > 40
• Patient with weight variations of >10% between the date on which the CT scan was performed and the date of the procedure.
• Pregnant or lactating patient
• Patient in exclusion period (determined by a previous or a current study)
• Patient under guardianship or trusteeship
• Patient under the protection of justice of deprives of liberty
• Patient in situation of emergency

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: EUS-NS +; EUS with the navigation system first on, then off	Device: EUS navigation system; Incorporation of the EUS navigation system to the EUS scope
Experimental: EUS-NS -; EUS with the navigation system first off, then on	Device: EUS navigation system; Incorporation of the EUS navigation system to the EUS scope
No Intervention: EUS group; EUS alone

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Evaluation of the EUS navigation system's procedure duration compared to standard procedure times	Collect of peroperative duration for registration, insertion, navigation to cardia, navigation from the cardia to the pancreas, pancreas examination, therapeutic step and overall duration of the procedure (quantitative). Results will be compared between cases with (Groups EUS-NS) and without (Group EUS alone) use of the navigation system	1 day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assessment of the EUS navigation system in terms of reliability and safety	Rate of intraoperative undesirable events and of any event related to the tested system (probe breaking, software crashing, etc.)	1 day
Comparison of the EUS navigation system's procedure duration depending on the order the EUS-GPS is used	Collect of peroperative duration for registration, insertion, navigation to cardia, navigation from the cardia to the pancreas, pancreas examination, therapeutic step and overall duration of the procedure (quantitative). Results will be compared between cases with use of the navigation system first (Subgroup EUS-NS +) or in a second time (Subgroup EUS-NS -)	1 day
Assessment of the system's ease-of-use (integration in the standard-of-care workflow) compared to the standard procedure by the mean of a questionnaire	Questionnaire to assess the ease-of-use (integration in the standard-of-care workflow) of the EUS navigation system, filled by the EUS endoscopist (qualitative).	1 day
Assessment of the system's stressfulness compared to the standard procedure by the mean of a questionnaire	Questionnaire to assess the stressfulness of the EUS navigation system, filled by the EUS endoscopist (qualitative).	1 day
Collect adverse events, adverse device effects and device deficiencies	Collect adverse events, adverse device effects and device deficiencies during the procedure and up to 1 month after the EUS	1 month
Assessment of registration method by the mean of video recording analysis	A complete video recording of the procedure (endoscopic camera, ultrasound probe, pre-operative data real-time display and external camera) will be performed to assess the precision of the registration, using as anatomical points landmarks detectable in both CT and US images	1 day
Collection of EUS data	Videos of the EUS procedure for further use in Artificial Intelligence-driven EUS research projects will be collected if the patient specifically consents to it. Recorded material will include the electromagnetic (EM) coordinates provided by the sensor. EUS video data associated with EM coordinates will be used to build databases for AI-driven EUS research projects	1 day
Assessment of technological maturity and ergonomics	Questionnaire to evaluate the ergonomics and technological readiness, filled by the EUS endoscopist (qualitative).	1 day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: IHU Strasbourg
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Leonardo SOSA VALENCIA, MD, IHU Strasbourg

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 10, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 23, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 23, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): August 25, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 1, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 29, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Training; Pancreatic cancer; Education; EUS; Endoscopic ultrasound; PDAC; Learning curve; Biliopancreatic; EUS navigation; Quality indicators
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Pancreatic Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: 22-003

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: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No