What is IVC Filter Placement?
IVC filter placement involves placing a small filter in the patient’s inferior vena cava, a large abdominal vein that returns oxygen-depleted blood to the heart from the lower part of your body. The device is designed to trap blood clots and keep them from reaching the lungs. IVC filters are recommended for patients at risk of pulmonary embolism but who cannot take anticoagulants, or have previously taken blood thinners that did not work.
FDA Warnings
In 2010 and again in 2014, the FDA warned that IVC filters should be removed as soon as the blood clot risk subsides in order to minimize the risk of complications. The agency said it had received nearly 1,000 adverse event reports associated with the devices in a 5-year span.
According to the FDA, potential hazards associated with IVC filter placement include:
- Filter components that break off and migrate to the heart, causing a heart attack, or to the brain, causing a stroke.
- Particles that become imbedded in organs or lodged in blood vessels.
- Filters that change position after being implanted.
IVC Filter Complications
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Chest pain
- Filter fracture
- Filter migration
- Embolization of filter fragments
- IVC perforation
- Perforation of the heart
- Bleeding
- Organ damage
- Cardiac tamponade
- Hemorrhagic pericardial effusion
- Pulmonary embolism
- Emergency surgery
- Parts of IVC filter permanently embedded in body
- Death
Cordis IVC Filter Recall
In August 2013, FDA announced that Cordis was recalling about 33,000 OptEase IVC filters over concerns that devices’ instructions were not clear enough and that some healthcare providers could implant them backwards. The recall affected about 33,000 filters distributed between May 2010 and April 2013.
Do I Have an OptEase IVC Filter Class Action Lawsuit?
The Medical Device Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in IVC filter lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury and death cases in all 50 states.
Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has had an IVC filter implanted, you should contact our law firm immediately. Our lawyers are evaluating every individual case regardless of whether you have been injured or not. So, if you have received an IVC filter implant, we would like to speak with you. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit against the manufacturer and our lawyers can help.