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Erectile DysfunctionNCT04064671

ZEPHYR: A Study Evaluating Surgical Outcome After Implantation of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM Inflatable Penile Implant in the Neophallus After Female-to-male Sex Reassignment Surgery

An observational study of Erectile Dysfunction and Gender Dysphoria, run by University Hospital, Ghent at 1 site in Belgium.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

This study will look into the surgical outcome after implantation of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM in the neophallus. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 100 years
Conditions the study is for
Erectile Dysfunction, Gender Dysphoria
What is being tested?
Implantation of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM erectile implant
How many people
100 participants
Where
1 siteBelgium
Study dates
19 Sep 2017to Dec 2029
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 100 years
  • All sexes
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: All female-to-male transsexual patients asking for the implantation of an erectile device are carefully counseled and during their visit, all available devices are discussed with their inherent benefits and drawbacks. If the patient independently chooses for the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM erectile device, and if this patient meets the aforementioned inclusion criteria, he will be included in this study after voluntarily signing the written informed consent form.

Who may be able to join

  • Voluntarily signed written informed consent according to the rules of Good Clinical Practice (Declaration of Helsinki) and national regulations.
  • Age ≥ 18 years.
  • Female-to-male transsexual patient.
  • Implantation of Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM erectile device.

Who cannot join

  • Absence of signed written informed consent.
  • Age < 18 years.
  • Biological males.
  • Patients opting for penile implants other than the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Belgium1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Department of Urology, Ghent University Hospital

    Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen, 9000

    Wesley Verla, +32 9 332 22 76, wesley.verla@uzgent.be

    Wesley Verla, MD

    Recruiting

Other trials in Belgium

About this study

Official title: ZEPHYR: A Prospective Study Evaluating Surgical Outcome After Implantation of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM Inflatable Penile Implant in the Neophallus After Female-to-male Sex Reassignment Surgery

This study will look into the surgical outcome after implantation of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM in the neophallus.

Read the detailed description

Obtaining erectile function after phalloplasty in female-to-male transsexuals remains a challenging issue and requires the implantation of a device. For biological males, several erectile implants exist and widespread research has demonstrated the successful outcome of these devices. However, substantial differences exist between a native penis and a neophallus and explain the poorer outcome of these devices in female-to-male transsexuals.

In 2018, Falcone et al. published the largest retrospective series on this subject so far and reported that after a mean follow-up of 20 months, only 58% of their patients still had their original implant in place. The main obstacle in these female-to-male transsexuals is represented by the lack of corpora cavernosa in the neophallus which leads to difficult anchorage of the prosthesis, little stability of the prosthesis and a higher risk of cylinder erosion.

Until recently, all penile implants were manufactured for erectile dysfunction in biological males and thus presumed the presence of two corpora cavernosa. In 2016 however, the Swiss company, Zephyr Surgical Implants (ZSI), created a 3-piece inflatable erectile device specifically for female-to-male transsexuals: the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM. This prosthesis has a realistic gland shape, only one cylinder, and a specific anchorage device made of titanium and silicone to anchor the system to the pubic bone of the patient. These specific features could potentially address the aforementioned issues with implanting erectile devices in the neophallus and hopefully lead to better surgical outcomes in these particular patients.

So far, no literature regarding surgical or functional outcome of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM exists. The aim of this study is to prospectively collect data of all female-to-male transsexuals that are treated with the implantation of this device at Ghent University Hospital.

Being tested
Implantation of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM erectile implant
Keywords
female-to-male, transgender, transsexual, Zephyr, erectile device, erectile implant, neophallus, phalloplasty, gender reassignment surgery, sex reassignment surgery
Medical subject headings
Erectile Dysfunction, Gender Dysphoria

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Implantation of the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM erectile implantOther

    Until recently, all penile implants were manufactured for erectile dysfunction in biological males and thus presumed the presence of two corpora cavernosa. In 2016 however, the Swiss company, Zephyr Surgical Implants (ZSI), created a 3-piece inflatable erectile device specifically for female-to-male transsexuals: the Zephyr ZSI 475 FTM. This prosthesis has a realistic gland shape, only one cylinder, and a specific anchorage device made of titanium and silicone to anchor the system to the pubic bone of the patient. These specific features could potentially address the aforementioned issues with implanting erectile devices in the neophallus and hopefully lead to better surgical outcomes in these particular patients.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Explantation-free survival

    Interval between implantation date and explantation date (if explanted)

    Measured: From date of surgery until the date of explantation or date of death from any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 120 months postoperatively (assessment at 3 months postoperatively, 1 year postoperatively and then yearly)

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Complication rate after implantation of this device

    The Clavien-Dindo system (<90d) to report surgical complications will be used

    Measured: 90 days after implantation

  2. Type of complications

    Complications that will be assessed, involve:

    • Urinary tract infection (yes or no)
    • Hematuria (yes or no)
    • Wound infection (yes or no)
    • Wound dehiscence (yes or no)
    • Abscess formation (yes or no)
    • Fistula formation (yes or no)
    • Protrusion of the device (yes or no)
    • Malfunction of the device (yes or no)
    • migration of the device (yes or no)
    • Infection of the device (yes or no)

    Measured: From date of surgery until the date of explantation or date of death from any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 120 months postoperatively (assessment at 3 months postoperatively, 1 year postoperatively and then yearly)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Aug 2019
  2. Study start19 Sep 2017
  3. Primary completionSep 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completionDec 2029 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
100 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04064671
Sponsor's protocol ID
2019/0025 (BC-4486)
Status last verified
Jan 2024
First submitted
7 Aug 2019
Last updated
30 Jan 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Erectile Dysfunction and Gender Dysphoria, run by University Hospital, Ghent at 1 site in Belgium.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jan 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Belgium. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Wesley Verla (+32 9 332 22 76, wesley.verla@uzgent.be), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Explantation-free survival (time frame: From date of surgery until the date of explantation or date of death from any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 120 months postoperatively (assessment at 3 months postoperatively, 1 year postoperatively and then yearly)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Jan 2024.

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