Translumbar high inferior vena cava access placement in patients with thrombosed inferior vena cava filters

Venous access is a dire necessity in some patients such as those with end-stage renal disease or short gut syndrome. The right internal jugular vein is the preferred entry site for tunneled central venous catheters. Alternatively, the left internal jugular is considered next, with the external jugular and subclavian veins being considered later. Catheter-related venous stenosis approaches 40% in certain sites, resulting in loss of access sites. As sites are lost, insertion of functional long-term central venous catheters becomes challenging. Translumbar inferior vena cava (IVC) access created in two patients with limited venous access sites who had thrombosed IVCs containing IVC filters is described. Because of the higher IVC punctures in these cases, procedural planning with cross-sectional imaging is crucial to avoid puncturing the right renal artery as it passes posterior to the IVC.