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Use of Tissue Plasminogen Activator in the Clearance of Chronic Subdural Hematomas

The Utility of Intra-Catheter Fibrinolytics in Draining Chronic Subdural Hematomas: A Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot Study

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05491356
Enrollment
40
Registered
2022-08-08
Start date
2023-05-11
Completion date
2024-05-30
Last updated
2026-03-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hematoma, Subdural, Fibrinolytic; Hemorrhage

Brief summary

To determine the utility of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the clearance of chronic subdural hematomas (CSDH). Intra-catheter tPA will be administered during surgical procedure and allowed to break down blood clot to assist with removal/drainage during twist drill craniostomy procedure.

Detailed description

A chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a collection of blood overlying the brain that can be seen, usually in the elderly with even minimal head trauma. These are usually treated by removing the collection of blood. This can be done through a small drill hole in the skull or by larger holes (one or two) the size of a nickel. Sometimes a larger piece of skull is removed to be able to remove the CSDH. The standard practice at our center is to do these procedures under local anesthesia with a twist drill craniostomy (small drill hole through the skull). In some cases, all the CSDH can not be removed the first time, requiring a second procedure or a larger procedure. This study plans to use a type of medication that breaks down the solid blood clot, enabling more of it to drain. This medication (tpa) is already used in other surgeries and is safe to use in humans. Our preliminary experience and that of others suggests very low risk at the dosages being used. We hope that using this new drug will decrease the chance of the CSDH collecting again and reduce the overall length of your stay in the hospital and reduce the need for further surgery.

Interventions

Dosage of 1mg/mL mixed in 0.9% saline solution, intra-catheter administration, sterile

DRUGPlacebo

0.9% saline solution, intra-catheter administration, sterile

Sponsors

Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Adult patients (18 yrs or older) 2. Admitted to neurosurgery wing at the hospital 3. Symptomatic patients requiring surgical drainage by twist drill craniostomy

Exclusion criteria

1. Patients at increased risk of bleeding such as patients taking anticoagulation medication that required reversal at time of intervention، or those with coagulopathic disorder. 2. Patients on antiplatelets or anticoagulation medications (DOACs or warfarin) with appropriate holding period prior to drainage, those who are eventually minimized to a regular bleeding risk compared to the normal population, will be included in the study. 3. Patients with subdural empyema. 4. Redo twist drill craniostomy for residual cSDH within the same admission. 5. Drain accidentally removed during nursing care or patient transport before 24 hr interval scan. 6. Patients who are not expected to live more than three months.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Study Feasibility8 monthsPatient recruitment rate, eligibility of patients, protocol adherence, unexpected events

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Reoperation rate8 monthsReoperation rate or reintervention in the first 6 weeks post drainage
Volume of chronic subdural hematoma8 monthsVolume, as measured in 3 intervals: pre-procedure, post-procedure at 24hrs and 6 weeks
Rate of adverse events8 monthsRate of adverse events in the first 6 weeks post procedure, including CNS infection, seizure, post-op hemorrhage
Length of hospital stay8 monthslength of hospital stay in days

Countries

Canada

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORDr. Kesava Reddy

Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 13, 2026