Talc Outpatient Pleurodesis With Indwelling Catheter (TOPIC)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03973957 |
Recruitment Status : Unknown
Verified June 2019 by Wissam Abouzgheib, The Cooper Health System.
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
First Posted : June 4, 2019
Last Update Posted : June 4, 2019
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Pleural Effusion Pleural Diseases Malignant Pleural Effusion | Device: Indwelling pleural catheter placement Drug: Fentanyl Citrate Drug: Talc Slurry Device: Drainage collection bag | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 124 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Intervention Model Description: | Prospective, Randomized and controlled trial |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Talc Outpatient Pleurodesis With Indwelling Catheter: A Randomized Controlled Trial |
Actual Study Start Date : | May 27, 2019 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | January 31, 2021 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | January 31, 2021 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Active Comparator: Control Arm
If undergoing talc slurry in the control arm, the patient will undergo IPC placement in the pulmonary procedure unit on day one of admission. The IPC will then be connected to a pleur-evac as standard of care protocol for chest tube drainage. At 1-2 hours post-IPC placement a chest x-ray will be obtained to assess for full lung re-expansion. If the lung does not fully expand the patient will be excluded from the study. Once full lung re-expansion has occurred, talc slurry will be ordered and the patient will be given 25 mcg of IV fentanyl. Talc slurry (5 g sterile talc, brand name Steritalc, mixed with 50 cc or sterile normal saline in a syringe, per Cooper University Pharmacy protocol) will be administered via the IPC. The patient will remain in the hospital, with continuous drainage measured daily for 2-5 days, depending on drainage of the effusion.
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Device: Indwelling pleural catheter placement
Indwelling pleural catheter placement by interventional pulmonologist
Other Names:
Drug: Fentanyl Citrate Administration of intravenous fentanyl prior to talc slurry instillation in order to avoid pain associated with talc slurry application
Other Name: "Pain medication" Drug: Talc Slurry Administration of 5 grams of medical grade sterile talc mixed in 50 milliliters of normal saline solution via indwelling pleural catheter for purposes of talc slurry pleurodesis |
Active Comparator: Intervention Arm
An indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) will be placed during this visit. After complete drainage of the effusion, a chest x-ray will be done to determine if full lung reexpansion occurs. If there is lack of full lung re-expansion the patient will be excluded from the study at this time. If full lung re-expansion is present, the patient will receive an intravenous line (IV) by our nursing staff for analgesia prior to talc administration and will be pre-treated with 25 mcg of IV fentanyl. Talc slurry (5 g sterile talc, brand name Steritalc, mixed with 50 cc or sterile normal saline in a syringe, per Cooper University Pharmacy protocol) will then be administered through the IPC. The IPC will then be connected to a circuit that will consist of the IPC connected to a 4-liter fluid drainage collection bag via a one-way Heimlich valve (picture of set up included in additional documents). |
Device: Indwelling pleural catheter placement
Indwelling pleural catheter placement by interventional pulmonologist
Other Names:
Drug: Fentanyl Citrate Administration of intravenous fentanyl prior to talc slurry instillation in order to avoid pain associated with talc slurry application
Other Name: "Pain medication" Drug: Talc Slurry Administration of 5 grams of medical grade sterile talc mixed in 50 milliliters of normal saline solution via indwelling pleural catheter for purposes of talc slurry pleurodesis Device: Drainage collection bag Attachment of one-way Heimlich valve with drainage collection bag circuit to indwelling pleural catheter after talc slurry application for purposes of drainage and pleurodesis in the outpatient setting rather than the inpatient setting.
Other Name: "Leg bag" |
- Time to pleurodesis [ Time Frame: Up to one month from placement of indwelling pleural catheter ]Will measure the time to pleurodesis in the individual arms

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age greater than or equal to 18 years old
- Diagnosis of a paramalignant pleural effusion (defined as a recurrent pleural effusion directly caused by malignancy with known thoracic involvement)
- Estimated life expectancy greater than 3 months
- Full lung re-expansion on chest x-ray after thoracentesis
Exclusion Criteria:
- Age less than 18 years old
- Pregnant or lactating subject
- Any history of prior pleural talc administration
- History of an indwelling pleural catheter placed on the side of the active paramalignant pleural effusion
- Estimated life expectancy less than 3 months
- Active clinical heart failure
- Inability to return for frequent follow up appointments
- Current incarceration

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03973957
Contact: Wissam Abouzgheib, MD | 856-342-2406 | abouzgheib-wissam@cooperhealth.edu |
United States, New Jersey | |
Cooper University Hospital | Recruiting |
Camden, New Jersey, United States, 08103 | |
Contact: Wissam Abouzgheib 856-342-2406 |
Principal Investigator: | Wissam Abouzgheib | Cooper health system |
Responsible Party: | Wissam Abouzgheib, Physician, The Cooper Health System |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT03973957 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
19-020 |
First Posted: | June 4, 2019 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | June 4, 2019 |
Last Verified: | June 2019 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | Yes |
Pleural effusion Pleural diseases Pleurodesis Malignant pleural effusion |
Pleural Effusion, Malignant Pleural Effusion Pleural Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases Pleural Neoplasms Respiratory Tract Neoplasms Thoracic Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Neoplasms Fentanyl Analgesics, Opioid |
Narcotics Central Nervous System Depressants Physiological Effects of Drugs Analgesics Sensory System Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents Adjuvants, Anesthesia Anesthetics, Intravenous Anesthetics, General Anesthetics |