Balloon-Assisted Retrieval of Tilted OptEase IVC Filter

Excerpt

The use of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters is well established to prevent pulmonary embolism in patients when anticoagulation is contraindicated or ineffective for treating thromboembolic disease [1]. Long-term presence of IVC filters is associated with a significant increase in the incidence of deep-vein thrombosis and caval occlusion and other less common complications, such as filter migration, fragmentation, or penetration [1, 2]. This explains the preference to use retrievable filters in those patients in whom the protection of the filter is only required temporarily. Whereas the placement of IVC filters is a relatively safe procedure, many retrievable filters become permanent in clinical practice as a result of changes in the patient’s clinical course, lack of follow-up, and the technical inability to retrieve the filter [3‐6]. It is reported in the literature that in only 20–35% of all placed retrievable filters an attempt is made to retrieve the filter [3‐6] and approximately 5–15% of these filters are left in situ because of technical reasons [3‐6]. Technical difficulties may arise from filter tilt or tissue overgrowth at the contact site of the filter with the caval wall [7]. The objective of this article was to describe an alternative technique to retrieve tilted OptEase vena cava filters. …