Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of once-daily intraclot injections of low doses (≤ 10 mg) of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for thrombolysis of venous thrombosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In prospective studies, 33 patients with subclavian, jugular, and central venous thrombosis (SJ-CVT) (all but two cases associated with central catheters) were treated once a day with ≤ 4 mg/day of tPA, and 30 patients with acute deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremity (DVT-LE) < 14 days old were treated once a day with ≤ 10 mg/leg/day of tPA by intraclot "lacing" of thrombus without continuous infusions of tPA. RESULTS: Patency was restored in 26 (79%) of 33 patients with SJ-CVT using an average total dose of 7.1 mg of tPA/per patient and average of 2.1 treatments or days of therapy. Five patients received thrombolytic therapy for SJ-CVT as outpatients. Initial patency was restored in 29 (97%) of 30 patients with acute DVT-LE using an average total dose of 20 mg of tPA per patient over an average of 2.7 treatments/or days per patient. Follow-up imaging examinations at 6 months showed continued patency in 27 (96%)/of 28 patients. There were no major bleeding complications, and no patient required a blood transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Intraclot injection of low doses of alteplase is effective for acute venous thrombosis, and pharmacokinetic data suggest potentially greater safety.