What is an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval?

Blood thinners, otherwise known as anticoagulants, are the cornerstone treatment for deep vein thrombosis, or DVT- a blood clot in the legs. But some patients can't be on blood thinners for too long. In those cases, an IVC filter is the next best thing.

An IVC filter is a small metal device placed in the inferior vena cava, the large vein returning blood from the lower body to the heart. The placement is within the vein to prevent potentially deadly blood clots from traveling to the lungs. There are two primary categories of IVC filters:

• Permanent
• Available anytime

The type of filter that is inserted depends upon several factors, including whether the patient is in anticoagulation drug compliance and the duration of the blood clot's risk period.

What are some common uses of the inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval?

Patients who have already experienced blood clots in the legs or are at risk of experiencing a blood clot qualify as candidates for an IVC filter. Such patients include:

• Those suffering DVT, which is deep vein thrombosis.
• Those suffering from an embolus in the lung.
• Those who have had some form of trauma.
• They are immobile.

Medication with blood thinners and other treatments fails for a patient when IVC filters are put to use.

How should I prepare for inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval?

• Before your surgery, blood tests may also be carried out by your doctor as per indication, to check on kidney function and whether your blood actually clots.
• Share with your physician the medications you take, including herbal supplements. If you have allergies to contrast materials, general anesthesia, or local anesthetic, be sure to share this information with your physician.
• Your doctor may instruct you to halt the use of blood-thinning medications, aspirin, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories for a period of time before surgery.
• Let your physician know if you have recently been suffering from any infection or other medical conditions.
• If a patient is pregnant, she should immediately inform her doctor and the technician.

There are so many tests that doctors will not carry out when in such a case. If an x-ray is carried out, then the doctor will make sure that the infant is exposed to as little radiation as possible. To learn more about X-rays in pregnancy, click here.

• Before your procedure, your surgeon will likely instruct you not to eat or drink anything after midnight. Your doctor will instruct you as to which medicines you should take on awakening.
• On the day of your procedure, your surgeon may allow you to have clear liquids.
• To a diabetic patient, an interventional radiologist would ensure advice on food intake and amount of insulin to be taken based on the particular needs of the patient for that particular day since the operation might call for a change of the usual take of insulin.
• There is also a possibility that you will have to undress, and you will be made to wear a gown. You could also be required to remove other clothing or metal objects that may interfere with the x-ray images, as well as wear some jewelry and eyeglasses. 
• Make arrangements for a ride home after surgery.

How is the procedure performed?

• Image-guided, minimally invasive surgeries such as the placement and removal of IVC filters are usually performed by interventional radiologists in an interventional radiology suite and sometimes in a standard operating room.
• But even though the procedure is usually outpatient-based, you should see your doctor to determine whether or not you will need to spend some hours in the hospital after the session.
• The physician or nurse will lay you on your back.
• You can be connected to monitors that track your blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, and heart rate by an attending doctor or nurse.
• You may require only minimal sedation and do not require a breathing tube; you will, however be certain to have a nurse or technologist insert an IV line into a vein to deliver a sedative.
• The nurse will clean the area of your body where the catheter is going to be placed. This area will be cleaned, and then a drape will be placed over it.
• Your doctor will spray anesthetic to numb the area. Right before the area becomes numb, you may experience the area burning or stinging for a short period.
• The doctor will make a tiny skin incision at that site.
• The physician uses picture guidance to place a catheter through the skin to the treatment site.
• Some contrast material may be injected into the inferior vena cava to allow the use of imaging guidance in guiding the catheter and ensuring proper insertion of the IVC filter into the blood vessel.
• The physician, after the procedure, removes the catheter, applies pressure to stop any bleeding, and closes the hole made in the artery by using a closure device and covers it by dressing; he removes the IV line after an hour.

What will I experience during and after the procedure?

A doctor or a nurse would place you on an IV line where they could monitor your heart rate and blood pressure. You may experience a slight pinch from the insertion of the anesthetic in the needle, but more so at the entry point of the incision into the skin. Sedation might be given to make you feel relaxed. The contrast material may make you feel warm but generally goes away quickly. You will be taken to the recovery room where you will continue to awake and the procedure will be monitored. If inserted via a neck vein, you can return to your regular activities after 24 hours. When inserted via a groin vein, avoid driving, lifting heavy loads, or climbing the stairs for 48 hours.

What are the benefits and risks of this procedure?

Benefits

• There is just a tiny, suture-free nick in the skin; there is no need for a surgical incision.
• When patients are unable to receive conventional medical therapy or have failed conventional medical therapy, the filter has a high success rate in preventing serious pulmonary emboli (PE) in the lungs.

Risks

• Any surgical procedure that enters the skin carries a risk of infection. Apparently, the risk of an infection being serious enough to require antibiotics is less than 1 in 1,000.
• Even if contrast material is administered during the test, an allergic reaction cannot be completely excluded.
• There are always risks of any such surgery that creates an opening in the body where a catheter can be placed inside a blood vessel. These include bleeding or bruising at the puncture site, infection, and damage to the blood vessel. The physician will do his utmost to minimize these risks.
• There is a possibility of the IVC filter becoming stuck in the wrong position, shifting, or migrating through the vein (which is very unlikely to cause damage to an organ located close to the filter).
• The IVC filter or part of it may break free and migrate to the heart or lungs, causing an injury or death.
• Very rarely, IVC fillers become so filled with clots that they block flow in all directions within the blood vessel and cause swelling in the legs.
• Some extractable filters become embossed into the vein and cannot be removed; if so, they are left in the body forever and are intended to stay there indefinitely.

Why Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital is one of the best hospitals for inferior vena cava filter retrieval in Lucknow, India. We have a highly experienced team of vascular surgeons who use advanced tools and follow international standard infection control measures. Our hospital ensures safer procedures, quicker recovery, and improved long-term outcomes.

To seek an expert consultation for inferior vena cava filter retrieval in Lucknow, India

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

Request a Call Back