Post-operative medium-chain triglyceride diet to shorten hospital stay after lung lobectomy
Post-operative Medium Chain Triglyceride Diet May Reduce Hospital Stay Following Lung Resection
This test will see if a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) diet after minimally invasive lung lobectomy helps adults recover faster and leave the hospital sooner.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 210 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Chinese University of Hong Kong Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Shatin) |
| Trial ID | NCT07159659 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a single-center, prospective, randomized trial at Prince of Wales Hospital comparing a post-operative MCT-enriched diet to standard diet in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy with lymph node dissection. Medical students will assist with consent and data collection under investigator supervision, and experienced thoracic surgeons will perform the operations. Primary outcomes include hospital length of stay and post-operative complications such as chyle leak, with additional follow-up for two weeks after discharge to monitor recovery and readmissions. Patients with early chylothorax, significant air leak, major organ failure, or non-lobectomy procedures are excluded per protocol.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 18–80 with BMI <35 who are suitable for minimally invasive VATS lobectomy with lymph node dissection and can give informed consent are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with confirmed chylothorax, persistent high air leak, severe cardiac or renal failure, non-lobectomy procedures, or inability to follow the diet may not receive benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, an MCT post-operative diet could shorten hospital stays and reduce nutrition-related complications after lung lobectomy.
How similar studies have performed: MCT diets have been used clinically to manage chyle leaks with supportive case series, but randomized evidence for routine post-operative use after lung resection is limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: General Inclusion Criteria for All procedures: 1. Age between 18 - 80 years 2. Body mass index \<35 kg/m2 3. Suitable for minimally invasive surgery 4. Willingness to participate as demonstrated by giving informed consent Project-specific Criteria: 1\. Patients performed lobectomy with lymph node dissection Exclusion Criteria: Patient general exclusion criteria: 1. Contraindication to general anesthesia 2. Severe concomitant illness that drastically shortens life expectancy or increases the risk of therapeutic intervention 3. Untreated active infection 4. Non-correctable coagulopathy 5. Emergency surgery 6. Vulnerable population (e.g. mentally disabled, pregnancy) Project-specific Criteria 1. Segmentectomy 2. Pleurodesis 3. Esophageal procedures 4. Redo/readmitted patients for lung resection 5. Chylothorax (Triglyceride \> 110 mL, excluded at day 1 routine lab check) 6. Air leak (\> 30 mL/min when back to ward) 7. Heart Failure 8. Renal failure (estimated GFR \< 30; CKD grading stage 4-5) 9. Moderate to severe adhesion (defined at randomization by surgeon; criteria include estimated surface area of adhesion and staging) 10. History of tuberculosis or empyema
Where this trial is running
Shatin
- Prince of Wales Hospital — Shatin, Hong Kong (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Calvin Sze Hang Ng
- Email: calvinng@surgery.cuhk.edu.hk
- Phone: +852 3505 2618
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.