IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF THE RELATIVE THROMBOLYTIC EFFICIENCY OF FORCEDINTRATHROMBIC INJECTIONS - SALINE VERSUS UROKINASE

PURPOSE: To compare the rates of thrombolysis produced by forced intra thrombic injections of saline versus urokinase, as well as automated v ersus manual injections of urokinase, with use of all in vitro model o f a vascular occlusion, MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rates of thrombolys is produced by forced intrathrombic injections of saline and urokinase were compared in an in vitro radiometric model utilizing I-125-labele d thrombus, Similar experiments were performed to compare manual and a utomated injections of urokinase, The dissolution of the thrombus was quantitatively monitored with use of a scintillation detector. Average d time activity data for each type of experiment were fit to exponenti al functions and half times of lysis calculated. The differences in th e half times for the experiments being compared were evaluated for sig nificance with use of the Student t test. RESULTS: The half times of l ysis produced by forced intrathrombic injections of urokinase were sub stantially and significantly shorter than those produced by forced sal ine injections. The half time of lysis produced by automated injection s was nod significantly different than that produced by manual injecti ons.CONCLUSIONS: Forced intrathrombic injections of urokinase produce faster and substantially more thrombolysis when compared with similarl y administered saline. Also, for forced intrathrombic injections of ly tic agents, an automated injector is an equivalent alternative to manu al injections.