IVC Filter Cases

What is an IVC Filter?

An IVC filter (also known as a "blood clot filter" or "vena cava filter") is a wire device that is placed in the inferior vena cava (IVC), which is the vein that carries oxygen-poor blood from the lower half of the body into the heart and lungs. It is designed to catch blood clots before the heart can pump them into the lungs.  A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot becomes trapped in the small vessels in the lungs, which blocks the vessels and causes lung tissue damage.

FDA Issues Safety Warning for Retrievable IVC Filters

Between 2005 and 2010, the FDA received nearly 1,000 reports of severe adverse events caused by IVC filters. The agency was concerned that temporary devices were not being removed in a timely manner, which was contributing to high rates of migration, fracture, and failure of the device.

According to the FDA Safety Communication, they received a total of 921 adverse event reports, including:

• 328 reports of device migration
• 146 reports of the IVC breaking, traveling in the bloodstream
• 70 reports of broken pieces of the IVC perforating the inferior vena cava
• 56 reports of filter fractures

Complications of the IVC Filter

• The filter may shift in position after it is implanted. This could cause problems because it may not catch blood clots, or it could damage internal organs.
• The filter can erode into the inferior vena cava, ultimately leading to perforation of the inferior vena cava
• Pieces of the filter could fracture and travel into the heart or lungs. They could cause severe damage to these internal organs.
• Large numbers of blood clots could clog the device, impeding blood flow
• The filter may become so embedded that a doctor will be unable to remove it