A recent IVC filter study suggests the devices may not save lives.

Riyaz Bashir, a Temple University Hospital cardiologist and professor at Temple’s Katz School of Medicine, said based on his results from the IVC filter study, IVC filters should not be routinely used for patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

IVC (Inferior Vena Cava) filters are small, cage-like devices that are implanted into the inferior vena cava vein to prevent blood clots from traveling from the legs to the heart or lungs. These physical barriers are often used when a patient is unable to tolerate blood thinning medications.

However, some doctors also began using IVC filters in conjunction with a catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) procedure.

Patients who experience deep vein thrombosis as a blood clot in the thigh or pelvis are apt to have a higher risk of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), a condition that causes swelling, redness, and sores to appear on the legs.

Doctors use a CDT as a minimally invasive procedure that delivers clot-busting medication directly into the clot. The CDT procedure can re-establish blood flow in the blocked vein.

According to Philadelphia International Medicine, some doctors also implant an IVC filter at the time of performing the CDT procedure just in case the blood clot breaks loose and tries to migrate to the lungs during the procedure.

Dr. Bashir’s IVC filter study found that of 7,000 patients who endured the CDT procedure between in the U.S. between January 2005 and December 2013, an IVC filter did not appear to affect their survival.

In addition, the IVC filter study found that patients who received IVC filters were more likely to develop a hematoma, which is a solid mass of clotted blood within tissues. Patients who received an IVC filter also spent more time in the hospital (7.3 days vs. 6.9 days) and incurred higher hospitalization costs ($104,049 vs. $92,881).

“On the basis of these results, we believe that IVCFs should not be routinely placed in patients undergoing CDT,” said Dr. Bashir. “Additional well-designed, randomized control trials are encouraged to elucidate the implications of IVCF placement in patients undergoing CDT.”

IVC Filter Study Could Help Lawsuits

The IVC filter study could benefit plaintiffs in lawsuits across the country who allege they were injured and not helped by IVC filters.

There are reports of the devices tilting to one side after implantation and allowing blood clots to pass. In some cases, the struts on the cage-like devices break away and puncture the vein or circulate to other parts of the body where they can cause damage and become potentially inoperable.

In at least one reported case, a blood clot pushed the entire IVC filter up into the patient’s heart, killing her.

Dr. Bashir said if a patient is able to tolerate blood-thinning medications, an IVC filter should not be placed.

If you or someone you love has experienced IVC filter complications, you could be eligible for compensation through legal representation.