Chemical vs Mechanical Pleural Adhesiolysis for Liberation of Captive Pleura in Stacked Effusion

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical and radiological efficacy of chemical pleural adhesiolysis (using either intrapleural 3% hydrogen peroxide or intrapleural corticosteroids) versus mechanical pleural adhesiolysis (via medical thoracoscopy) in patients with non-malignant, complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion (CPPE). Complicated pleural effusions often lead to the formation of fibrinous septa and adhesions, which impair drainage and prevent lung re-expansion. Standard interventions like tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and DNase can be costly and limited in resource-constrained settings, while thoracoscopic mechanical pleurolysis requires specialized expertise and equipment. The investigators aim to evaluate whether chemical adhesiolysis using accessible, cost-effective agents (hydrogen peroxide or steroids) can offer a comparable and reliable alternative to thoracoscopic mechanical disruption of septa. Efficacy will be assessed using a novel composite clinical and radiological efficiency score evaluated seven days post-procedure.

Timeline

Start

2026-03-26

Primary completion

2026-06-27

Completion

2026-06-27

Drugs

Indications