Joanna Szabo  |  July 28, 2016

Category: Legal News

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IVC filter complicationsAccording to a case report published in the Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery, a patient’s IVC filter migrated to the heart and posed a serious risk.

The patient involved in the case report, a 23-year-old woman, was suffering from serious chest pain and checked herself into the emergency room.

Doctors found multiple fractured parts of the inferior vena cava filter inside her largest vein.

These fragments were found scattered in her right and left pulmonary arteries, as well as the right ventricle of the heart as the IVC filter migrated to the heart.

The patient had been involved in a serious car accident eight years before this emergency room visit, and suffered from serious physical trauma. After the accident, the patient was in a coma for a month, according to records obtained from another hospital.

These hospital records also show that, while she was in a coma, she was implanted with a Bard Recovery IVC filter.

Doctors sought to remove these inferior vena cava filter fragments that were protruding from the right ventricle. Surgery for the removal of these fragments reportedly went well, followed by a quick recovery.

Inferior vena cava filters are growing in popularity across the world. Though these devices are widely regarded as relatively safe and effective, there have still been significant complication reported with their use.

The most serious of these potential complications is filter migration and fracture, which can seriously damage a person’s organs. This is often recognizable through symptoms like serious chest or abdominal pain.

If an IVC filter migrated to the heart or lungs, patients may also notice acute shock or hemodynamic instability.

According to the case study, only eight case reports have clearly documented that an IVC filter migrated to the heart and lodged in the right ventricle.

For some patients, treatment may simply involve pain management, while others, like this patient, might go through surgical extraction.

The case report warns that cardiovascular surgeons should be aware of the increasing use of IVC filters and the increased risk filter migration and fragmentation, especially to the heart.

IVC Filter Basics

Inferior vena cava filters, also known as IVC filters, are used to prevent blood clots from moving into the lungs or heart of a patient, which can cause serious or even fatal complications. IVC filters are placed in the inferior vena cava, the largest vein in the body, since blood clots in this vein pose the greatest threat.

However, some patients who have been implanted with IVC filters are filing lawsuit, alleging that these devices can cause serious complications.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received hundreds of adverse events reports claiming that a patient’s IVC filter migrated to the heart or other serious complications involving filter migration and punctured organs.

Inferior Vena Cava Filter Lawsuits

Lawsuits allege that IVC filter manufacturers like Bard either knew or should have known that their filters were linked with serious complications, yet chose to market the product as safe and effective.

Although filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering from these complications, it can help to compensate for the financial expenses incurred by medical bills and lost wages.

If you or someone you love has been implanted with an inferior vena cava filter and has since suffered from serious complications such as filter migration or organ perforation, you may be able to file an IVC filter lawsuit.

In general, IVC filter lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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Join a Free IVC Filter Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you or a loved one were injured by IVC filter complications, you may have a legal claim. See if you qualify to pursue compensation and join a free IVC filter class action lawsuit investigation by submitting your information for a free case evaluation.

An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case.

Please Note: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client, if you qualify, or getting you dropped as a client.

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