IVC Filters
An inferior vena cava filter (IVC filter) is a small cone-shaped device that is implanted in the largest vein in the body, the inferior vena cava. They are typically implanted in patients who are at risk of developing blood clots, but who are not candidates for blood thinner medication. The filter is designed to capture an embolism, a blood clot that has broken loose from one of the deep veins in the legs on its way to the heart and lungs.
2015 NBC news story: Did IVC filter manufacturer ignore filter related deaths?
You may be eligible for compensation.
Contact attorney Christina Graziano for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Most filters that are implanted are manufactured as "retrievable" and are intended to be removed after a short period, such as two months*. Unfortunately, in the real practice of medicine, most IVC filters are left in the patient for many more months, even years after they were designed to be implanted.
Studies have shown that IVC filters manufactured by C.R. Bard and Cook Medical may cause serious injuries, including Bard’s Recovery®, G2®, G2® Express (G2®X), Eclipse®, Meridian®, and Denali® Vena Cava Filters.
Why Did C.R. Bard sell 160,00 G2® IVC Filters after knowing there was a problem?
On December 31, 2016 NBC News published a new story based on a confidential 2005 internal company memo. C.R. Bard executives have been aware of serious problems for over 10 years.
“We also have one (IVC filter) that has virtually no complaints associated with it. Why shouldn’t doctors be using that one rather than the G2?”
Scientific Papers and Reports
FDA Safety Communication, May 2014
Based on a 2013 scientific paper published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, the FDA recommended that IVC filters be removed 29 to 54 days after implant.
“. . . if the patient’s transient risk for pulmonary embolism has passed, the risk/benefit profile begins to favor removal of the IVC filter between 29 and 54 days after implantation”
