Chest infection showdown: drugs or surgery for empyema?
NCT ID NCT04095676
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether treating pleural empyema (a serious lung infection with pus in the chest cavity) with a drain and medication works as well as surgery. 184 adults with advanced-stage empyema will be randomly assigned to either video-assisted surgery or a less invasive approach using a small tube and drugs that break down pus. The main goal is to see which method leads to a shorter hospital stay.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
alteplase and dornase alfa (Pulmozyme) given into the chest cavity
What this could lead to
If it works, this could show that a less invasive drainage-and-medication approach is as good as or better than surgery for treating pleural empyema, potentially reducing recovery time and healthcare costs.
What could go wrong
This is a mid-stage trial with 184 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. Both treatments have risks, such as bleeding or infection, and the study may not find a clear winner.
Disclaimer
Read more
Show less
This is a summary of
the original study
.
Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for PLEURAL EMPYEMA are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Show contact details
Enter your email to view the contact information for this study.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Study contacts
-
Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
-
Contact
Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Locations
-
Aarhus University Hospital
RECRUITINGAarhus, Aarhus, 8200, Denmark
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
-
Odense University Hospital
RECRUITINGOdense, Denmark
Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
Contact
-
Rigshospitalet
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGCopenhagen, Denmark
Contact Email: •••••@•••••
Contact