Pleurodesis by erythromycin, tetracycline, Aerosil(TM) 200, and erythromycin plus Aerosil(TM) 200 in a rat model: a preliminary study

None of the current pleurodesing agents fulfil all the criteria for best pleural sclerosant. Therefore, the search for the ideal agent for chemical pleurodesis still continues. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of erythromycin, tetracycline, Aerosil... 200 (hydrophilic fumed amorphous silica), and erythromycin plus Aerosil... 200 in producing pleurodesis in rats. In the present study, talc was not used as a pleurodesing agent due to an unavailability of its sterile and pure form in Iran. The median macroscopic score in the Aerosil... 200 group was significantly higher than that in the erythromycin group (P < 0.005). The median microscopic score in the erythromycin group was significantly lower than that in the Aerosil... 200 and erythromycin plus Aerosil... 200 groups (P < 0.005). Furthermore, maximum and minimum pleural fibrosis was observed in the erythromycin plus Aerosil... 200 and erythromycin groups, respectively (P < 0.05). This study suggests that Aerosil... 200 with or without erythromycin may be more potent pleurodesis agent than erythromycin and tetracycline. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)