Saline flushing of the pleural space using a new irrigation device
Official title: A Pilot Assessment of the Safety and Efficacy of Pleural Irrigation for Retained Pleural Infection Using a Novel Irrigation Device
Run by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NCT06727578 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot tests whether flushing the pleural space with sterile saline using the CLR irrigator can help clear retained infected pleural fluid in patients who cannot receive standard intrapleural enzyme therapy.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 10 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Boston, Massachusetts) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 25, 2025 |
| Main results expected | May 25, 2027 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 27, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06727578 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with retained infected pleural fluid seen on bedside ultrasound within 24 hours after chest tube placement who cannot receive intrapleural enzymatic therapy are the intended candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with pleural fluid from non-infectious causes (for example malignancy) or with post-procedural empyema or complicated parapneumonic effusion are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a single-arm pilot in which patients with retained pleural effusion identified by bedside ultrasound within 24 hours of chest tube insertion receive intrapleural saline irrigation delivered with the CLR irrigator. The trial enrolls patients who are contraindicated for intrapleural enzymatic therapy and excludes non-infectious effusions and post-procedural empyema. Key outcomes include radiographic and clinical clearance of retained fluid, need for additional invasive procedures, and safety/tolerability. The procedure is performed and monitored at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could clear infected pleural collections without enzymatic therapy and reduce the need for additional invasive procedures.
How similar studies have gone: Intrapleural enzymatic therapy (tPA/DNase) has demonstrated benefit in pleural infection, but saline irrigation with the CLR device is a novel approach with limited prior data and is being tested here as a pilot.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Retained pleural effusion identified via bedside ultrasound within the first 24 hours after chest tube insertion * Patient is contraindicated from receiving intrapleural enzymatic therapy within the first 24 hours after chest tube insertion Exclusion Criteria: * Non-infectious cause of pleural fluid analysis findings listed above identified (e.g. malignancy) * Post-procedural empyema or complicated parapneumonic effusion
Where it's running
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Christine Conley
- Email: Cconley@bidmc.harvard.edu
- Phone: 617-632-8386
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Using the Lung Sliding Index to distinguish common lung diseases
This project will test whether the Lung Sliding Index (LSI) measured by bedside ultrasound can tell apart various lung conditions in adults with lung disease and in healthy volunteers.
-
Evaluating saline irrigation for treating retained pleural infections
This study is testing if adding saline irrigation to standard treatment can help people with retained pleural infections feel better and recover faster.
-
Daily 7-Minute Digital Meditation for Young Adults
A short daily, app-based meditation test in 18-40 year-olds in the US to see if it improves mood, stress, and well-being.
-
How regular meditation relates to thinking and emotion control
This study will see if people who regularly practice Isha-style meditation differ in cognitive skills and emotion regulation compared with people who do not meditate.
-
Measuring muscle health with a handheld electrical impedance device (mScan)
This project will test whether a handheld mScan device can quickly measure muscle health in adults with myopathies and in people without muscle disease by comparing its readings to MRI.
-
Reverse leftover spinal numbness after knee or hip replacement with an intrathecal saline flush
This study tests whether injecting a small amount of sterile saline through a spinal catheter can quickly reduce or eliminate leftover spinal anesthesia in adults having elective lower-extremity joint replacement.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.