3D-printed cutlery handles to help patients eat more independently in rehabilitation
Official title: 3D Printers for Autonomy in the Care of Inpatients in Continuing and Rehabilitation Care
Run by Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer · NCT07087574 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether 3D-printed adapted cutlery handles help inpatients with neurodegenerative diseases eat more independently and consume more food during meals.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 75 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Hyères, Var and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 30, 2026 |
| Main results expected | October 2027 |
| Study ends | October 2027 |
| Registry record updated | July 7, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07087574 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (≥18) hospitalized in a continuing and rehabilitation unit with a neurodegenerative disease, Mini Mental State Examination >15, and a Katz eating score of ≥3 who can use their hands and do not object to participation are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who cannot use their hands (e.g., amputation or paralysis), who are under legal protection, or who already eat independently are unlikely to benefit from this adapted cutlery approach.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Hospitalized patients in continuing and rehabilitation care who need help at mealtimes receive an occupational therapy hand assessment to choose a 3D-printed cutlery handle (25, 30, 35 or 40 mm). Food intake is measured by a dietician at a baseline lunch without the aid (Day 0), at the first lunch using the adapted handle (Day 1), and after three days of use (Day 3) to capture a learning effect. The ergotherapist scores eating autonomy using the Katz eating item and performs ecological observations on Day 0 and Day 3 to document compensatory movements. Lunches are standardized across the three days to keep conditions consistent.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could increase independent eating, raise food intake, and help reduce undernutrition in hospitalized patients with neurodegenerative disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with adapted utensils and larger-handle cutlery has shown improvements in independence and intake for older adults and people with motor impairments, though individualized 3D-printed handles are less widely studied.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Patient hospitalized in a Continuing Care and Rehabilitation department ; 2. Patient suffering from a neurodegenerative disease (Mini Mental Test score \> 15); 3. Age ≥ 18 years; 4. Patient with a score ≥ 3 on the "Eating" criterion of the Katz scale (corresponding to the need for at least partial assistance with meals). Exclusion Criteria: 1. Opposition of the patient or his relatives to participating in the research ; 2. Patient unable to use hands to eat (amputation, paralysis, etc.); 3. Patient under court protection; 4. Pregnant, parturient or breast-feeding woman; 5. Any other reason which, in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with the evaluation of the study objectives.
Where it's running
-
SSR Pierre Chevalier
Hyères, Var, France Recruiting -
Hôpital Georges Clemenceau
La Garde, Var, France Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Sophie Lafond
- Email: sophie.lafond@ch-toulon.fr
- Phone: 4 83 77 20 62
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.