Thrombin-soaked embolization coils: the effect on whole blood clotting time

Embolization coils are well established as embolic agents for the treatment of various conditions. Several authors have commented on the increased 'thrombogenicity' of coils following soaking in thrombin solutions. We have carried out an in vitro study, carefully measuring the effect on whole blood clotting time (WBCT), of soaking coils in thrombin solutions of different concentrations (100, 200, 400, 1000 U/ml). Untreated steel coils are shown to have clot promoting activity (CPA) in vitro, reducing WBCT from 14.85 min to 5.53 min. Passing the coils down a saline-filled catheter slightly reduces their CPA, but not significantly (p = 0.21). With thrombin concentrations above 100 U/ml, a significant reduction in WBCT is recorded, but although there is a trend of increasing CPA with increasing thrombin concentration from 200-1000 U/ml, a plateau in WBCT is seen, and the difference is not significant. It therefore appears that the clot promoting activity of embolic coils is significantly increased by soaking them in a relatively weak thrombin solution. The use of such a solution (e.g. 200 U/ml) in vivo would have obvious value in limiting the potential systemic effects of thrombin.