RecruitingInterventional

Oxygen treatment using high flow nasal oxygen after major abdominal surgery

This study is exploring a new way to help patients breathe after major stomach surgery. We're testing a treatment called High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO), which delivers extra oxygen through a soft tube under your nose. The aim is to see if HFNO helps patients recover faster, go home sooner, and avoid complications like chest infections. If you join, your surgery will happen as planned. Afterwards, for four hours, you'll either receive standard oxygen through a face mask or the new HFNO treatment. We'll then look at your medical notes for up to 30 days. This is a small, early study to check if HFNO is promising enough for a bigger research project in the future. We hope it will improve care for patients like you.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Queen Mary University of London

Enrolment target

200

Start

06 Mar 2026

Estimated completion

01 Dec 2026

Adult patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery

What is this study about?

When people have big operations, especially on their tummy, it can sometimes be hard to breathe properly afterwards, and there's a small chance of getting a chest infection. Doctors and researchers are always looking for better ways to help people recover well and avoid these kinds of problems. This study is all about finding out if a special type of oxygen treatment, called High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO), could be a helpful step in that recovery.

HFNO is a way of giving you extra oxygen that's gently warmed and moistened. It's delivered through soft tubes that sit just under your nose, making it comfortable to wear. We think this extra support might make it easier for your lungs to work after surgery, potentially helping you feel better, get home sooner, and keep those chest infections away. This is a small, early study to see if the idea works well for patients and if doctors find it easy to use. If it looks promising, it could lead to a much larger study that would give us even more answers.

Ultimately, the goal of this research is to improve how we care for patients after surgery. By collecting information about how HFNO affects people's recovery, we hope to learn if it's a treatment that could benefit many more patients in the future, making their journey to recovery smoother and safer.

Key takeaways

This study aims to improve recovery after major stomach surgery.
It tests a special oxygen treatment (HFNO) for four hours after surgery.
Everyone in the study is aged 50 or over and having major abdominal surgery.
HFNO is a safe treatment used in hospitals for many years.
The study will only review your notes; no extra appointments are needed.
This is a small first step to see if a larger study on HFNO is worthwhile.

Who may be eligible?

This study is designed for adults aged 50 and over who are scheduled to have a major stomach operation. This includes surgeries done through open cuts, keyhole surgery (laparoscopic), or using robotic techniques. We want to make sure the study includes people who are having common types of abdominal surgery.

There are a few reasons why someone might not be able to join. For example, if you can't or don't want to give your permission to take part, or if the medical team thinks you'll definitely need a breathing machine for at least four hours after surgery anyway. Also, if you've already been part of a similar part of this study, you won't be able to join again. Finally, if your doctor feels it's not right for you, you won't be included.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 50 years old or older?
Are you having a big operation on your stomach (abdominal surgery)?
Have you not been asked to be on a breathing machine for several hours after your surgery?
Are you happy to give your permission to be part of the study?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, your planned surgery will go ahead exactly as arranged – nothing about your operation itself will change. After your surgery, as you start to wake up, you will be assigned to one of two groups by chance, like flipping a coin. One group will receive the standard oxygen treatment through a loose facemask, which is what usually happens. The other group will receive High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO) through a soft device that sits under your nose.

If you receive HFNO, you'll have this treatment for the first four hours after you wake up from your operation. If you get the standard facemask oxygen, your usual care will continue as normal. No other medical care will be changed because of the study. We will then simply review your hospital notes from the time of your surgery until you leave the hospital, up to a maximum of 30 days. You won't need any extra visits or appointments specifically for the study.

Potential risks and benefits

It's possible that if you receive the HFNO treatment, your breathing might feel better temporarily after surgery, but we can't be certain of this yet. The good news is that HFNO is a very safe treatment that has been used in hospitals for many years without significant problems. All patients in the study will be closely watched by the medical team to make sure any issues are quickly noticed and dealt with. There are no known serious risks associated with taking part in this study. Your decision to take part will not affect your care, and you can withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason, and your medical care will not be affected.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Barts Health NHS Trust
City only
London, England

Common questions

What is 'major abdominal surgery'?

This means a big operation on your stomach area, for example, on your bowel or other organs inside your tummy.

What is High Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO)?

It's a special way to get extra oxygen. It comes through soft tubes that sit just under your nose, and the oxygen is gently warmed and moistened for comfort.

Will I have to pay to be in the study?

No, all treatments and monitoring related to the study are provided free of charge, as part of NHS care.

Can I choose which treatment I get?

No, you will be assigned to either the standard oxygen or the HFNO treatment by chance, like drawing lots. This helps us find out if the new treatment is truly effective.

What happens if I change my mind after joining?

You are free to leave the study at any time, for any reason, and your decision will not affect your medical care.

How to find out more

Becky Dodds

Protect-admin@qmul.ac.uk +44 (0)203 594 0349 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.