Safer breathing tube placement for newborns in the NICU

Optimizing Tracheal Intubation Outcomes and Neonatal Safety (OPTION SAFE)

NIH-funded research Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11115750

This project uses a personalized safety bundle to try to reduce complications when placing breathing tubes in critically ill newborns in neonatal intensive care units.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionChildren's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11115750 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From a parent's perspective, hospitals will introduce a Personalized Intubation Safety (PINS) Bundle that standardizes planning, premedication, provider assignment, and use of video laryngoscopy before newborns are intubated. The bundle was developed from prior work and tested in a single-center pilot and will now be rolled out across eight NICUs using a randomized stepped-wedge design while collecting data through the NEAR4NEOS registry. The study compares rates of adverse intubation-associated events, severe events, oxygen desaturations, and repeated attempts before and after the bundle is introduced. Staff training, checklists, and real-world workflow changes are included so the bundle can be used during routine and emergency neonatal care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are newborns treated in participating NICUs who require tracheal intubation for respiratory failure, resuscitation, or other clinical indications.

Not a fit: Infants who never require intubation, those treated at nonparticipating hospitals, or cases where immediate emergency care prevents bundle implementation may not receive direct benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower serious intubation complications, reduce failed extubations, and improve short-term outcomes and safety for infants who need breathing tubes.

How similar studies have performed: A single-center pilot of the PINS bundle showed a sustained 66% reduction in severe intubation-related adverse events, though this multicenter randomized rollout is a larger, newer test.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.