Improved mechanical thrombolysis with the addition of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator: in vitro study with use of Cr-51-labeled clots.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the potential effect of infusion of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) during mechanical thrombolysis.


METHODS
Clots containing chromium-51-labeled platelets produced from blood from two donors were placed in a solution of rt-PA (1.25 micrograms/mL) or in saline solution and were pulverized with a mechanical thrombolysis catheter. The resultant slurry was passed through a filter with a pore size of 10 microns, and the radioactivity of the clot residue on the filter was measured. For each donor, the percentage of clot remaining was calculated from the residual radioactivity.


RESULTS
The mean percentages of clot remaining were 72.0% for clots in saline (n = 10) and 44.4% for clots in rt-PA (n = 10) in donor 1 and 58.9% (n = 14) and 36.4% (n = 14), respectively, for donor 2. In both cases, the mean percentage of clot remaining was significantly lower when mechanical thrombolysis was performed in the presence of rt-PA.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate the feasibility of combined pharmacologic and mechanical thrombolysis.
Kurisu
Y
Y
Department of Radiology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Kawakami
K
K
Tada
S
S
D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002404:Catheterization; D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D002860:Chromium Radioisotopes; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator