MEA DPA Hypoxic Event Reductions

April 30, 2026 updated by: Jean-Louis Horn, Stanford University

Minimizing Deoxygenation Events During Anesthesia With a Novel Distal Pharyngeal Airway

The goal of the study is to compare deoxygenation events during anesthesia induction and mask ventilation when using standard oral pharyngeal airways or the novel distal pharyngeal airway.

Study Overview

Status

Withdrawn

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This prospective RCT will study adult patients who are determined to be at high risk for deoxygenation events during induction of general anesthesia. The study will randomize patients for use of a novel airway device (distal pharyngeal airway) versus standard oral pharyngeal airway during general anesthetic induction and measure differences in severity and duration of desaturation (hypoxic) events. The premise is the new novel device will reduce hypoxic events, improving patient safety and reducing airway complications. This is critically important as hypoxic events can have significant consequences. Providing a device that minimizes hypoxic events could impact patient safety positively. Additional measurements will include reduction in unanticipated patient admissions from airway complications with DPA use.

Study Type

Interventional

Phase

  • Not Applicable

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patient presenting for surgery at main Stanford Hospital
  • Over 18 years old
  • ASA Class II, III, IV
  • High risk for hypoxic events during intubation based on their past medical history
  • BMI >35
  • Likelihood of obstructive sleep apnea utilizing the STOP-BANG questionnaire
  • History of diagnosed sleep apnea
  • History of difficult intubation
  • Prior need for two-handed mask ventilation
  • Requiring general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation for surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Altered mental status
  • Anesthesia technique includes rapid sequence or modified rapid sequence intubation
  • Poorly controlled gastroesophageal reflux

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Novel DPA device
Assess duration and severity of deoxygenation events with DPA use during anesthetic induction and mask ventilation.
Device: DPA
Anesthesiologist will use novel DPA device post anesthetic induction to assist in bag mask ventilation prior to endotracheal tube placement.
Active Comparator: Standard OPA device
Assess duration and severity of deoxygenation events with OPA use during anesthetic induction and mask ventilation.
Device: OPA
Anesthesiologist will use standard OPA device post anesthetic induction to assist in bag mask ventilation prior to endotracheal tube placement.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of participants with clinically significant hypoxia SpO2 < 92
Time Frame: Post-treatment recorded intra-operatively (up to 24 hours)
This outcome will be compared between two groups.
Post-treatment recorded intra-operatively (up to 24 hours)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Number of additional airway maneuvers used during bag-mask ventilation with the MEA DPA and OPA during induction of general anesthesia
Time Frame: Post-treatment recorded intra-operatively (up to 24 hours)
Post-treatment recorded intra-operatively (up to 24 hours)
Determine if additional airway maneuvers are used during bag-mask ventilation with the MEA DPA and OPA during induction of general anesthesia
Time Frame: Post-treatment recorded intra-operatively (up to 24 hours)
The number of supplemental airway interventions that the anesthesiologist must use to be able to ventilate the patient after the OPA or MEA DPA placement will be assessed. These supplemental interventions include chin lifts, jaw thrusts, head repositioning, and asking for additional aid when ventilating the patient. These notes will be compared and confirmed with the recorded induction footage from the cameras. Following data collection, data will be compared to demonstrate if there is a reduction in the need for manual intervention with the MEA DPA compared to a standard airway.
Post-treatment recorded intra-operatively (up to 24 hours)
Change in anesthesia provider satisfaction during anesthetic bag-mask ventilation (positive pressure ventilation)
Time Frame: Immediately post-operatively (up to 24 hours)
Anesthesiologists will be asked if the MEA DPA is easier, harder, or has the same level of difficulty in placement and use as the standard OPA. Following data collection, the differences between the intervention and control group will be compared to demonstrate improved anesthesia provider satisfaction based on ease of placement, use and preferred future usage of MEA DPA.
Immediately post-operatively (up to 24 hours)
Incidence of obstruction for sedated patients arriving in postoperative care with an airway in situ
Time Frame: Immediately post-operatively (up to 24 hours)
PACU nurse will indicate if the MEA DPA correlates with reduced post-operative care unit (PACU) airway manipulation (head repositioning, jaw thrust, increased oxygen flows). Following data collection, the differences between the intervention and control group will be compared to demonstrate preferred use through decreased airway management needs for PACU nurses with the DPA and reduced patient discomfort.
Immediately post-operatively (up to 24 hours)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

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 (Estimated)

November 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 24, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 73525

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

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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