Effect of Delayed Inferior Vena Cava Filter Retrieval After Early Initiation of Anticoagulation

Anticoagulation Is Associated with Decreased Inferior Vena Cava Filter-Related Complications in Patients with Metastatic Carcinoma

“…This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients who received a retrievable inferior vena cava filter at a tertiary center between January 2009 and December 2011. 5,6 The current procedural terminology codes 37191, 37192, and 37193 were used to identify patients receiving an inferior vena cava filter (n ¼ 758), of whom 688 were included. The remaining 70 patients were lost to follow-up ( Figure).…”

Great Debates in Vascular Medicine: Should all inferior vena cava (IVC) filters be removed?

“…These devices are frequently associated with complications at all phases of the device 'lifecycle': from implantation through to the time they remain in the body and during retrieval. 5 Although prompt retrieval would likely attenuate some of these harms, the literature indicates that actual IVC filter retrieval occurs infrequently and in a delayed fashion. Retrieval rates hover around 30% in published series.…”

“…Retrieval rates hover around 30% in published series. 5 As a result, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a call for IVC filters to be retrieved as soon as possible. 6 Surprisingly, none of the guidelines from relevant professional societies address the matter of retrieval, and rather focus on indications for insertion.…”

Filtering through the data on retrievable inferior vena cava filters

“…The retrieval time varied substantially, typically between 23 and 105 days, also consistent with published experience in this field. Although an evaluation of complications was not described, the available literature suggests that these may occur in upward of 10% of patients undergoing retrieval of IVC filters HYPERLINK\l "Wei141" [1].…”