How long is IVC filter procedure?

You may get an IVC filter if you have blood clots in your veins and can’t take blood-thinning medications. The procedure usually takes about an hour. Many people return to their regular activities in one or two days. IVC filters may be permanent or temporary (retrievable).

Table of Contents

When should IVC filter be placed?

Prophylactic indications for IVC filter placement are those in which a patient does not have VTE, but is at risk of developing DVT and/or PE and cannot receive anticoagulation or be monitored for the development of VTE.

Can you feel an IVC filter?

If an IVC filter migrates or moves from its original location, it can travel through the blood vessel to the heart or to the pulmonary outflow tract. The patient might feel pain in the new location of the filter or experience internal bleeding or unusual bruising.

What is the indication for IVC filter?

Inferior vena cava filters (IVC filters) are indicated as a treatment to prevent pulmonary embolism in a select group of patients that have venous thromboembolism (VTE) and absolute contraindication to anticoagulation, failure of anticoagulation, complications resulting from anticoagulation or progression of deep vein …

What specialty places IVC filter?

Your IVC filter will be placed by your interventional radiologist. An interventional radiologist is a doctor who specializes in image-guided procedures. They will place the IVC filter in your inferior vena cava by going through a vein in your neck or groin.

Do you need anticoagulation with an IVC filter?

Because patients with IVC filters are at risk for IVC thrombosis, insertion site thrombosis, and recurrence of the initial thromboembolic event, continued use of anticoagulants when there are no contraindications is advisable.

Is anticoagulation needed with IVC filter?

Where do I deploy my IVC filter?

The IVC filter is placed through a small incision in a vein in your groin or neck. A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is inserted into this vein. The catheter is then gently moved into your IVC.

Can you have a CT scan with an IVC filter?

CT of the IVC precisely images the renal veins and can characterize their number and their confluence with the IVC. CT guidance is a viable alternative to fluoroscopic guidance for the placement of IVC filters in morbidly obese patients.

Do you need to be NPO for a IVC filter placement?

You should not to eat or drink anything after midnight before your procedure. You may need to stop taking aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or blood thinners for a specified period of time before your procedure.