IVC filters, or blood clot filters, are devices used to prevent serious complications in patients at risk of blood clots.

What many patients may not know is that these devices, meant to save lives, may actually put patients in danger of suffering from serious IVC filter risks.

Some IVC filter risks can be minor, but others can cause permanent damage or even become life-threatening.

Inferior Vena Cava Filters

Inferior vena cava filters, more commonly known as IVC filters, are put in place to prevent blood clots from entering a patient’s lungs or heart, where they could cause significant damage.

During surgery, the IVC filter is inserted into what is known as the inferior vena cava, the largest vein in the human body, thereby blocking blood clots from reaching these critical organs and hopefully preventing major complications.

The risks of blood clots entering these organs are significant. Blood clots that are able to travel to the heart or lungs can indeed cause serious injury and, in some cases, even death.

Patients who are at particular risk of suffering from these severe complications are often prescribed a blood thinner, or anticoagulant, to prevent clotting.

Some patients are unable to use a blood thinner, and are implanted with an IVC filter instead. Other patients simply prefer an IVC filter over an anticoagulant medication.

IVC Filter Risks

Although IVC filters are meant to save patients from the serious risks of blood clots, the devices themselves may cause IVC filter risks that can become life-threatening.

Hundreds of thousands of patients are implanted with IVC filter devices each year, so any IVC filter risks have the potential to affect a large number of patients.

Serious IVC filter risks can occur if the filter device is defective or incorrectly placed in the vein. A defective or incorrectly placed device can cause dangerous IVC filter risks including:

• Vein perforation
• Organ perforation
• Device migration/breakage
• Pulmonary embolism

Blood clot filter patients who suffer from these serious IVC filter side effects should seek medical attention to have their filter removed.

In some more serious cases, it may be too dangerous for blood clot filter removal, as any movement could cause immediate serious damage.

Filing a Lawsuit Over IVC Filter Risks

Many patients who have experienced serious IVC filter side effects such as vein or organ perforation have responded by filing lawsuits against manufacturers of their device, alleging that the benefits of the IVC filters are not worth the potential IVC filter risks.

According to lawsuits, manufacturers of these devices may have intentionally concealed the seriousness of side effects from consumers and the larger medical community.

Lawsuits over IVC filter risks allege that device manufacturers have a responsibility to warn consumers and the medical community about the serious risks associated with their filter devices.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that hundreds of patients have reported serious inferior vena cava filter side effects in the last ten years.

Filing an IVC filter lawsuit cannot repair the damage a patient suffers, but can help compensate for financial losses from medical expenses and lost wages a patient may experience.

If you or someone you know has been implanted with an IVC filter and suffered from inferior vena cava filter side effects such as perforation, you may be able to file an IVC filter lawsuit.