IMPROVED MECHANICAL THROMBOLYSIS WITH THE ADDITION OF RECOMBINANT TISSUE-TYPE PLASMINOGEN-ACTIVATOR - IN-VITRO STUDY WITH USE OF CR-51-LABELED CLOTS

PURPOSE: To explore the potential effect of infusion of recombinant ti ssue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) during mechanical thrombolysis . MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clots containing chromium-51-labeled platelet s produced from blood from two donors were placed in a solution of rt- PA (1.25 mu g/mL) or in saline solution and were pulverized with a mec hanical thrombolysis catheter. The resultant slurry was passed through a filter with a pore size of 10 mu m, and the radioactivity of the cl ot residue on the filter was measured. For each donor, the percentage of clot remaining was calculated from the residual radioactivity. RESU LTS: The mean percentages of clot remaining were 72.0% for clots in sa line (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 cas es, the mean percentage of clot remaining was significantly lower when mechanical thrombolysis was performed in the presence of rt-PA. CONCL USION: These results indicate the feasibility of combined pharmacologi c and mechanical thrombolysis.