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Case Reports
. 2015 Nov 15;8(11):22011-5.
eCollection 2015.

Intrapleural administration of DNase alone for pleural empyema

Vladimir Bobek  1 , Andrzej Majewski  2 , Katarina Kolostova  3 , Adam Rzechonek  4 , Robert Lischke  5 , Jan Schutzner  5 , Grzegorz Kacprzak  6
Affiliations
Case Reports

Intrapleural administration of DNase alone for pleural empyema

Vladimir Bobek et al. Int J Clin Exp Med. .

Abstract

Introduction: Pleural empyema is a severe complication of various diseases. The essential is the inserting a drain into the pleural cavity and evacuation of the pus. Sometimes the pus is very thick and its evacuation and re-expansion of the lung is very difficult.

Methods: We report a group of 10 patients with intrapleural administration of Pulmozyme (dornase alpha) in dosages of either 2.5 mg once or on two separate occasions. All of the patients had a chest tube inserted into the pleural cavity. Measurement of viscosity was done before and after the instillation of the dornase alpha.

Results: In six patients dornase alfa was introduced into the pleural cavity once. Three of them received this on the 4th whilst the rest were treated with the agent on the 6th day. Four patients received the dornase alpha twice because of the small amount of drainage fluid after the previous instillation. Five patients were discharged from hospital with complete re-expansion of their lungs. Two patients were qualified for a surgical operation since the lung was trapped and did not re-expand. Three patients had to be discharged with a drain as a result of incomplete re-expansion of the lung. In all the patients the density of the pus after administering the dornase alpha decreased and the amount of the pus drainage increased.

Conclusions: Dornase alpha may be used in some patients with pleural empyema with good results.

Keywords: DNase; Pleural empyema; deoxyribonuclease; dornase alpha; lung; pulmozyme; viscosity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Drainage of pus according to the patients (Patients are shown as 1-10).
Figure 2
Figure 2
X Ray pictures before and after treatment of empyema by DNAse.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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