Recruiting

Testing a heat-based lung treatment for severe emphysema

Plain-English translation of NCT06655428 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated January 2025 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing Endobronchial Thermal Liquid Ablation (ETLA), a minimally invasive procedure that uses controlled heat to reduce the volume of severely overinflated lung tissue in emphysema patients. The treatment is delivered through a bronchoscope (a thin camera tube) passed down your airways, so it doesn't require open surgery. Researchers want to see if this treatment is safe and whether it can help people breathe better and improve their quality of life.

Emphysema causes lungs to become chronically overinflated, trapping air and making it hard to breathe. This new treatment offers a less invasive alternative to traditional lung volume reduction surgery, potentially helping a broader group of patients who suffer from severe emphysema and haven't had good options for relief.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are at least 40 years old
you have been diagnosed with COPD with severe emphysema and reduced lung function (FEV1 between 20% and 49% of predicted)
your lungs are significantly overinflated with high residual volume (at least 175% predicted)
you can walk at least 140 meters in 6 minutes and experience shortness of breath with activity
you have not smoked for at least 3 months before enrolling
you are regularly exercising or participating in pulmonary rehabilitation for at least 6 weeks before enrollment

You likely don't qualify if…

you have a body mass index below 16 or 33 or higher
you have severe lung diffusion impairment (DLCO less than 20% predicted)
you have chronic bronchitis with significant sputum production (75ml or more daily)
you have had more than two hospitalizations for COPD exacerbations or pneumonia in the past 12 months
you have pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, or have had a heart attack or stroke within the past 12 months

What participation looks like

You will undergo up to two ETLA procedures, spaced at least three months apart. Each procedure involves a bronchoscopy performed at a hospital, with the treatment delivered through your airways using thermal energy to ablate overinflated lung tissue. You will need to stay in the hospital for at least five days after each procedure for monitoring and recovery. Throughout the study, researchers will measure your lung function, breathing ability, and quality of life to assess whether the treatment is working.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 2, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(7 sites)

Austria

Universitätsklinikum Allgemeines Krankenhaus Wien, Vienna, Austria

Klinik Floridsdorf, Vienna, Austria

Germany

Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe gGmbH Klinik für Anthroposophische Medizin, Berlin, Germany

Asklepios Lungenklinik Gauting GmbH, Gauting, Germany

Asklepios Klinik Barmbek, Hamburg, Germany