The Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter Lawsuit attorneys of Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers have been reporting about IVC failures and perforation issues since 2010. Complications involving inferior vena cava filter devices having been widely reported. A 2015 study, highlights the Cook Celect IVC Filter’s high arterial wall and organ perforation rate.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado and Northwestern University. The study, which lasted 33 months, recorded various data including strut perforation.
The Cook Celect IVC filter is designed to linger and trap blood clots through the use of metal struts. There are also struts that hold the filter in place, and these struts have been known to perforate arterial walls and nearby organs.
The study showed that the incidence of strut perforation was far higher for the Cook Celect filter with a high incidence of perforation at 43 percent. These findings were published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology in June 2015.
How IVC Filters Are Used
IVC filters are placed in the inferior vena cava, which is the primary artery that brings blood toward the lungs and heart. The filter helps prevent blood clots from reaching the lungs and causing pulmonary embolisms. These devices are frequently used for patients who have been unresponsive to traditional blood thinners, or who cannot tolerate anticoagulants.
IVC filters were once used as a permanent solution, but now they are primarily prescribed for short-term use, which means they are designed to be easily retrieved. In many cases, however, the IVC filter remains in the patient much longer than intended.
A significant delay in IVC Filter device retrieval can cause the filter to break down, device fracturing, arterial perforation, organ perforation and/or migration. When any one of these complications occur, device retrieval becomes very difficult and dangerous.
IVC Filter Complications
- Organ Perforation
- Infection or hematoma
- Damage to vena cava and surrounding areas
- Pulmonary embolism
- Filter migration to lungs or heart
- Incorrect filter position/tilt
- Fracture of the filter
- Hemorrhage
- Death
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been aware of these complications for quite some time now. The first safety alert was issued in 2010.
There are currently more than 130 Defective IVC lawsuits against Cook Medical for the faulty devices. If you or a loved one has suffered Cook Celect IVC filter complications, contact Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers now for a free, confidential consultation by calling 1-800-718-4658.
Jeffrey Nadrich
Jeffrey Nadrich is a nationally-recognized California plaintiff’s personal injury attorney. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Hastings College of the Law. He has successfully represented thousands of injury clients over the last 40 years.
