Many residents of Hawaii have received a small device, called an Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter, to help them after a hip or joint replacement surgery to prevent blot clots from traveling to the lungs.

Hawaii has an aging population and as a result, IVC vein filters, have grown in popularity. Even though Hawaii is healthier than the national average, a normal result of aging is heart problems and traveling blood clots called pulmonary embolisms.

If pulmonary embolisms are left untreated, it can lead to an up to 30% mortality rate. First, a doctor will treat a patient with blood thinning medications. If that does not reduce the risk sufficiently, IVC vein filters might be used.

Many aging residents of Hawaii have undergone the procedure to have an IVC filter implanted.

IVC vein filters are small, cage-like devices that are placed in the main vain to capture blood clots from the lower extremities of the body.

The problem with IVC vein filters, however, is that they have been liked to life-threatening complications.

These filters have been reported to adversely affect patients in the following ways:

• IVC thrombosis
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Access site thrombosis
• Filter migration
• Caval penetration
• IVC filter fracture

How Do IVC Vein Filters Work?

IVC vein filters catch blood clots that from in the lower extremities and keep them from entering the heart or lungs. If a blood clot enters the lungs, it can be life-threatening.

When the IVC vein filters catch a blood clot, the body eventually dissolves it. Many times, the vein filters are designed to be permanent, however many are designed to be temporary.

IVC vein filters have been approved by the FDA to treat the following conditions:

• Pulmonary thromboembolism when anticoagulant therapy is contraindicated;
• Failure of anticoagulant treatment therapy in thromboembolic diseases;
• Emergency treatment following massive pulmonary embolism when anticipated benefits of conventional therapy are reduced; and
• Chronic, recurrent pulmonary embolism when anticoagulant use has failed or is contraindicated.

Two particular vein filters, the Bard Recovery and the Bard G2 filters, have been known to have adverse affects on patients. One study was done with 80 patients who had implanted vein filters between 2004 and 2009.

The integrity of their filters was looked at and out of 80 patients, 13 had at least one strut failure. Among the 28 that were Bart Recovery filters, seven had a strut fracture with embolization and the strut embolized to the heart in 5 of those 7 cases.

Out of the 53 Bard G2 vein filters, 6 of them were fractured. Two of those six embolized to other organs.

It was concluded from this study that the Bard IVC vein filters had major complications.

As a result, the FDA sent a warning letter to Bard and NBC produced a news investigation television program that raised questions about the integrity of the devices.

In the NBC investigation it was noted that “the [Bard] study indicated that the filter had a higher relative risk of fracture, movement and death that all of its competitors.”

If you or a loved one suffered IVC filter side effects such as migration, IVC perforation, DVT or pulmonary embolism, you may have a legal claim. An IVC filter lawsuit may help you obtain compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages and more. Submit your information now for a FREE case evaluation.