Pleural Space Saline Irrigation in Addition to Standard Intrapleural Thrombolytic Therapy in Empyema/Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion

Inclusion criteria

• Purulent pleural fluid versus pleural fluid analysis demonstrating pH \<7.2, glucose \<60 mg/dL, positive Gram stain, or positive pleural fluid culture versus multiseptated pleural effusion with infection at top of differential diagnosis
• Patients initiating intrapleural lytic therapy under the care of the Interventional Pulmonary consult service at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN

Exclusion Criteria

• Unwillingness to give informed consent
• Patients with known bleeding diathesis
• Platelet count \<50,000 per μL
• INR >2.2 (of note, INR can be allowed to drift down or be reversed pharmacologically prior to initiation of intrapleural lytics/saline)
• Current use of systemic anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy without the ability to hold therapy for the recommended amount of time prior to an invasive procedure (aspirin monotherapy is acceptable)
• Pregnant or nursing females, or females of child-bearing potential who decline a pregnancy test prior to enrollment
• Incarcerated patients
• Presence of ipsilateral bronchopleural fistula
• Current or recent (within past 30 days) presence of tunneled pleural catheter on the same side as the current proven/suspected pleural space infection