What are IVC Filters?
IVC filters are small metal devices arriving in the shape of a cone. It is placed in the abdomen's large vein called inferior vena cava or IVC, which returns blood from the lower body towards the heart. An IVC filter primarily functions to prevent blood clots in the legs from traversing into the heart or lungs. When and Why are IVC Filters Used? IVC filters are designed for use in patients at risk of developing blood clots. While blood clotting may be beneficial, i.e. to stop a cut from bleeding, other blood clots can be life-threatening. When it unnecessarily forms in your arteries or veins, blood clots can cause serious conditions such as a heart attack or stroke. Patients with conditions such as DVT (deep vein thrombosis) or PE (pulmonary embolism) also benefit from IVC filters. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in the body's deep veins, usually around the leg area. This condition causes swelling, redness, tenderness and pain. It is often brought about by immobility, surgery, injury, pregnancy or hormone therapy. PE pertains to the condition wherein a blood clot is blocking one or more of the lung's arteries. It can also occur when a clot found in the deep vein within the arm or leg travels towards the lungs. Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough. Treatment for these conditions involve blood thinners called anticoagulants like Xarelto, Warfarin, Heparin or Coumadin. In most circumstances, patients implanted with IVC filters cannot be treated with such medication. How Long Do IVC Filters Stay In The Body? Originally, an IVC filter was designed for use indefinitely. Come the early 2000s, the FDA approved the first of IVC filters that were retrievable and built for temporary use. In 2010, the Food and Drug Administration put out a warning that the medical device must be removed from the patient's body once the risk for PE has subsided to reduce the likelihood pf long-term complications. What Complications Can Occur with IVC Filters? More than a thousand reports of IVC complications have reached the FDA during the past decade, including: -Device Migration -Device Infection -Embolization (detachment of filter components) -Filter fracture -Perforation of the Vein What are the Symptoms of Device Migration? One potentially serious IVC filter complication is device migration, which was the most common complaint the FDA received in 2005-2010. Medical literature holds numerous case reports regarding the medical device, including filters that migrate to the heart, lungs, and become embedded into various other organs. Painful symptoms and side effects of IVC filter migration include: -Arrhythmia -Chest pain -Dizziness -Hypotension -Shortness of breath -Tachycardia How Effective Is An IVC Filter? Research show that IVC filters provide a slight, short-term benefit in high-risk patients, while some studies have revealed that its benefits may not outweigh risks involved in using IVC filters. How Does The Placement Procedure for IVC Filters Work? The filter is basically inserted into the interior vena cava. Local anesthesia is utilized to numb the insertion area. Patients would be generally awake during the procedure which usually lasts for an hour. A physician inserts the IVC filter through the neck or groin's large vein by means of a special catheter. Contrast dye and x-ray images help determine the safest place to implant the filter. How Does The Removal Procedure of the IVC Filter Work? IVC filter removal may not be as simple as the placement procedure, especially when the filter has moved away from the initial position. Suppose the filter stayed in place, the physician will retreve it following the way the IVC filter was primarily put in. If the filter is found to have moved, fractured, or perforated other bodily organs, the procedure is deemed less safe, such as cases wherein the filter has migrated to the heart. Who Manufactures IVC Filters? Several companies manufacture IVC filters, and here's to name a few: ALN Implants Chirurgicaux Argon Medical Devices Bard Peripheral Vascular Boston Scientific Braun Interventional Systems Cook Medical Cordis Corporation Volcano Corporation What are Some IVC Filter Brands? Some manufacturers have more than one brand to offer among several different brands available on the market. Today's biggest IVC Filter brands include: ALN Implants Chirurgicaux - ALN retrievable vena cava filter Argon Medical Devices - Option retrievable vena cava filter; Option Elite retrievable vena cava filter B. Braun Interventional Systems Inc. - VenaTech LP vena cava filters Bard Peripheral Vascular - DENALI retrievable vena cava filter; Simon Nitinol vena cava filter Boston Scientific - Greenfield vena cava filter; Greenfield Titanium vena cava filter Cook Medical - Bird Nest vena cava filter; Celect retrievable vena cava filter Cordis Corporation - OptEase retrievable vena cava filter; TrapEase vena cava filter Volcano Corporation - Crux retrievable vena cava filter system Have IVC Filters Been Recalled? In March 2013, a class 1 recall was issued by the FDA for Cordis Corporation's OptEase retrievable vena cava filters. Class 1 is the most serious type of recall with the great risk of serious injury or death linked to the device. Apparently, the filters were incorrectly implanted, which Cordis addressed by updating the instructions. Though no recall was issued, Bard Peripheral Vascular withdrew three IVC filter systems from the market, namely, the G2, G2 X retrievable vena cava filter, and the Eclipse. Can I get an MRI with an IVC Filter in Place? Magnetic Resonance Imaging provides 3D images of the body's soft tissues such as those in the brain and spinal cord. MRIs utilize static magnetic fields, measured in tesla, for image creation. Most MRI equipment creates a magnetic field of 0.5-2.0 tesla. So far, there's only one IVC filter deemed safe by the American Society for Testing Materials when undergoing an MRI- Boston Scientific's Greenfield Titanium vena cava filter. The other Greenfield vena cava filter from the same manufacturer is MR conditional 2, where patients need to wait six weeks after insertion prior to getting an MRI. Most IVC filters are MR conditional 5, where it's safe to get an MRI only when certain guidelines are followed. Brands include Bard Eclipse, Cook Celect, Bird Nest, Recovery G2 and G2 X, B. Braun VenaTech, Cordis OptEase and the TrapEase. Other IVC filters are MR conditional 6, where it's only safe to get an MRI immediately after insertion and when the static field is 3.0 tesla or less. Brands include ALN, Cook Günther Tulip, Volcano Crux, Bard Simon Nitinol, Argon Option and the Option Elite. Have There Been IVC Filter Lawsuits Already Filed? Yes, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against IVC filter makers over the past few years. Most cases have been consolidated into MDL or multidistrict litigation. There are more than 380 cases pending against Bard Peripheral Vascular's allegedly defective IVC filters, just for the District of Arizona. In the Southern District of Indiana, more than 340 cases against Cook Medical's allegedly defective products and deceptive sales practices, are pending in MDL. Have There Been Any IVC Filter Lawsuit Settlements? Back in 2015, Bard arrived at a settlement with a Nevada plaintiff after day 10 of the trial. The IVC filter the plaintiff received traveled to his heart after insertion in the year 2005. Another trial was settled by the same manufacturer in 2015, after just 11 days of the trial. The sum of either settlement were not disclosed. How Do I Submit A Claim? If you or a loved one previously had an IVC filter implant and eventually harmed by the device, you have the right for financial compensation. There's no better time to act than now, with cases consolidated in U.S. District Courts. Come to Legal Outreach Center for ultimate assistance. We're not a law firm, but a Legal Referral Service that can get you in touch with Top Class Action Product Liability Attorneys and Law Firms across the United States. What we do is connect the society of people who've been adversely affected by medical devices or harmful prescription drugs with prestigious Attorneys known for their Million Dollar Verdicts. We give you the assurance that a real litigator will have your case heard in front of the jury or judge, rather than have your settlement diluted when the typical boutique law firm sends the case out elsewhere. Expertise and experience combined, a good professional lawyer will stand up for your rights as you seek the compensation you deserve. |
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