Microwave Ablation and Partial Splenic Embolization in the Management of Hypersplenism

October 9, 2014 updated by: Ibrahim Shebl, Tanta University

Comparative Study of Microwave Ablation and Partial Splenic Embolization in the Management of Hypersplenism

The aim of this study is to compare microwave thermal coagulation and partial splenic embolization in the management of hypersplenism in patients with cirrhosis.

This study will be conducted on 40 patients with liver cirrhosis associated with splenomegaly and hypersplenism. The study will be done at the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Unknown

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Liver cirrhosis or portal hypertension is frequently associated with congestive splenomegaly resulting in hypersplenism.

Hypersplenism can be defined as anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, or a combination of these resulting from excessive, splenic sequestration or pooling of blood cells, usually associated with clinical splenomegaly and always ameliorated by splenectomy.

Partial splenic embolization (PSE), which was first performed by Spigos et al in 1979, has been considered first-line therapy for hypersplenism in many institutions, and has been proposed as an effective alternative to splenectomy for improving peripheral blood cell counts. However, PSE is associated with many complications, including intermittent fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, post-embolization syndrome, splenic abscess, splenic rupture, pneumonia, refractory ascites, pleural effusion and gastrointestinal bleeding. To ensure a sustained and long-term increase in platelet and leucocytic counts, the splenic infarction rate needs to be greater than 50%. Thus, severe complications can ensue.

Thermal ablation methods using different energy sources, such as radiofrequency (RF), microwave (MW), or laser, were developed rapidly as minimally invasive techniques for the eradication of local tumor tissue within solid organs. There have been reports of the use of radiofrequency to ablate normal spleen, splenic injury, and splenomegaly.

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) had comparable efficacy and a better safety than PSE in the treatment of hypersplenism in patients with post hepatitis c cirrhosis.

MW ablation performed either laparoscopically or percutaneously is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive technique for the management of hypersplenism in patients with liver cirrhosis. It may significantly increase platelet count and white blood cells (WBC) count and improve hepatic blood supply with fewer complications. Ablating more than 40% of the splenic parenchyma may yield better long term results. This method may provide a new and promising minimally invasive alternative for treating hypersplenism.

The aim of this study is to compare microwave thermal coagulation and partial splenic embolization in the management of hypersplenism in patients with cirrhosis.

This study will be conducted on 40 patients with liver cirrhosis associated with splenomegaly and hypersplenism. The study will be done at the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute.

All patients will be subjected to thorough history taking, full clinical, lab, ultrasound/doppler, and upper endoscopic examination. Diagnosis has been based on peripheral blood count and confirmed with bone marrow examination.

Preoperative antibiotics will be given and correction of bleeding tendency with plasma and platelet transfusion will be done as required to get a prothrombin concentration more than 65% and platelet count more than 100,000.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
40

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
      • Cairo, Egypt
        • Recruiting
        • National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Asem A Elfert, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Fat-heya E Assel, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Islam S Ismail
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Mohamed M Elkassas

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 71 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Liver Cirrhosis
  • Hypersplenism

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with bad performance scale.
  • Patients with hepatic encephalopathy and tense ascites.
  • Patient with active esophageal variceal bleeding .
  • Patients with hypocellular bone marrow (BM).
  • Patients with renal failure.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Microwave Thermal Coagulation
MW ablation performed either laparoscopically or percutaneously is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive technique for the management of hypersplenism in patients with liver cirrhosis. It may significantly increase platelet count and white blood cell (WBC) count and improve hepatic blood supply with fewer complications. Ablating more than 40% of the splenic parenchyma may yield better long term results. This method may provide a new and promising minimally invasive alternative for treating hypersplenism.
Device: Microwave Thermal Coagulation
Microwave thermal coagulation of splenic parenchyma.
Other Names:
  • Microwave
Experimental: Partial Splenic Embolization Catheter
Partial splenic embolization (PSE), which was first performed by Spigos et al in 1979, has been considered first-line therapy for hypersplenism in many institutions, and has been proposed as an effective alternative to splenectomy for improving peripheral blood cell counts. However, PSE is associated with many complications, including intermittent fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, post-embolization syndrome, splenic abscess, splenic rupture, pneumonia, refractory ascites, pleural effusion and gastrointestinal bleeding. To ensure a sustained and long-term increase in platelet and leucocytic counts, the splenic infarction rate needs to be greater than 50% (8). Thus, severe complications can ensue.
Device: Partial Splenic Embolization
Femoral artery approach will be used for splenic artery catheterization with the tip of the catheter always well advanced selectively into the splenic artery. Embolizing agent will be injected in small increments. Arteriography in between divided doses will be done to document the extent of devascularization.
Other Names:
  • PSE

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Percentage of participants with improvement of hypersplenism after microwave thermal coagulation of the spleen compared with partial splenic embolization.
Time Frame: 6 months
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Tanta University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Asem A Elfert, MD, Tanta Faculty of Medicine, Professor
  • Study Director: Fat-heya E Assel, MD', Tanta Faculty of Medicine, Professor
  • Study Director: Islam S Ismail, Dr.
  • Study Director: Mohamed M Elkassas, Dr.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

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Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 1, 2015

Study Completion (Anticipated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 26, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 9, 2014

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 10, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 10, 2014

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 9, 2014

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Microwave vs PSE

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