Alteplase for Percutaneous Treatment of Loculated Abdominopelvic Abscesses
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00284739 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : February 1, 2006
Results First Posted : February 26, 2015
Last Update Posted : February 26, 2015
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Abdominal Abscess Pelvic Abscess | Drug: Alteplase Other: saline | Phase 2 |
The use of fibrinolytics for the percutaneous drainage of loculated pleural effusions has been shown to reduce the catheter dwell time and to improve drainage of the effusions. Abscesses in the abdomen and pelvis are often loculated which makes percutaneous drainage difficult. We hypothesize that the infusion of alteplase via a drainage catheter into the loculated abscess collections of the abdomen and pelvis will similarly decrease catheter dwell time and improve overall abscess drainage. The direct injection of Activase into abscess cavities utilizes a very low dose of drug within a closed environment which should not be associated with any significant risk of hemorrhage. To date, there does not appear to be a significant risk of systemic hemorrhagic complications associated with the use of intracavitary thrombolytics for the drainage of abdominopelvic abscesses although only a few such studies have been reported. We hope to prove that the use alteplase for intracavitary thrombolysis improves outcomes associated with percutaneous catheter drainage of loculated abscess collections without increasing complications or costs.
The design of the trial will be as a single-center, prospective, open-label, randomized trial comparing the infusion of Activase versus saline for treatment of loculated abdominopelvic abscesses requiring percutaneous drainage. Patients with loculated abdominopelvic abscesses who are referred for percutaneous drainage will be eligible for this study. Patients will undergo standard placement of a 10-12 french percutaneous drain into their abscess cavity under computed tomography guidance. If the entire contents of the abscess cavity cannot be aspirated at the time of initial catheter placement, the abscess will be assumed to be loculated. The patient will then be randomized to have their abscess catheter irrigated twice a day with a volume of fluid approximately equal to the one-half the residual volume of the abscess. In the control group, the normal saline will be fluid instilled into the abscess cavity. The study group will receive Activase reconstituted in sterile water and then diluted to the appropriate volume with normal saline.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 20 participants |
Allocation: | Non-Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Alteplase for Percutaneous Treatment of Loculated Abdominopelvic Abscesses |
Study Start Date : | February 2006 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | October 2007 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | October 2007 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Alteplase
Multiple Alteplase injection into the abscess collection to improve percutaneous drainage
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Drug: Alteplase
2mg or 4mg given twice daily for three days into loculated abscess
Other Name: Activase |
Placebo Comparator: Saline
Multiple normal saline injection into the abscess collection to improve percutaneous drainage
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Other: saline
saline injection twice daily for three days |
- Percentage of Patients Requiring Surgical Debridement for a Persistent Abscess Within 30 Days Following Initial Drainage [ Time Frame: 30 days ]
- Percentage of Loculated Abscesses Which Completely Resolve With Percutaneous Drainage Alone at the First Follow-up CT Scan Performed 3 Days After Initial Drain Placement [ Time Frame: 3 days ]This is the percentage of participants in whom their loculated abscess completely resolve with percutaneous drainage at the time of the first followup CT performed at 3 days after start of the intervention and therefore do NOT require additional surgical intervention.
- Duration (in Days) of Percutaneous Drainage. [ Time Frame: Up to 30 days ]The total number of days that the drainage catheter was left in place from the time of randomization until the time of catheter removal. The maximum duration of measurement for this outcome was up to 30 days.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ability to provide written informed consent and comply with study assessments for the full duration of the study.
- Age > 18 years
- Adult, non-gravid patients with loculated abdominopelvic abscesses immediately after percutaneous drainage will be eligible to participate. A loculated abscess is defined as an abscess whose contents cannot be completely drained at the time of initial catheter placement as documented on CT.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Active internal bleeding, involving intracranial and retroperitoneal sites, or the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or respiratory tracts
- History of stroke within 6 months
- Uncorrectable bleeding diathesis (INR > 1.3 despite therapy)
- Recent intracranial or intraspinal surgery or trauma
- Pregnancy (positive pregnancy test)
- Pancreatic abscesses
- Any other condition that the investigator believes would pose a significant hazard to the subject if the investigational therapy were initiated
- Participation in another simultaneous medical investigation or trial
- Participation in another clinical investigation within previous 30 days of catheter placement
- Prior enrollment in the study
- Known allergy to Alteplase or any of its components

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00284739
United States, Hawaii | |
Kaiser Foundation Hospital | |
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, 96819 |
Principal Investigator: | Hyo-Chun Yoon, MD, PhD | Kaiser Permanente Hawaii |
Responsible Party: | Kaiser Permanente |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00284739 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
HI-03HYoon-02 |
First Posted: | February 1, 2006 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | February 26, 2015 |
Last Update Posted: | February 26, 2015 |
Last Verified: | February 2015 |
Abscess Abdominal Abscess Suppuration Infection Inflammation |
Pathologic Processes Tissue Plasminogen Activator Fibrinolytic Agents Fibrin Modulating Agents Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action |