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TrapEase vena cava filter: experience in 751 patients

Sanjeeva P Kalva1, Stephan Wicky, Arthur C Waltman

  • 1Division of Cardiovascular Imaging & Intervention, Departments of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. skalva@partners.org

Journal of Endovascular Therapy : an Official Journal of the International Society of Endovascular Specialists
|June 21, 2006
PubMed

Insights

The TrapEase vena cava filter effectively prevents pulmonary embolism (PE) with a low complication rate. This study confirms its safety and efficacy in a large patient cohort over four years.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular surgery
  • Interventional radiology
  • Cardiovascular medicine

Background:

  • Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are crucial for preventing pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or contraindications to anticoagulation.
  • The TrapEase filter is a retrievable IVC filter designed for safe and effective PE prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the clinical safety and efficacy of the TrapEase IVC filter.
  • To evaluate outcomes in a single-center experience over a 4-year period.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of clinical and imaging data from 751 patients who received a TrapEase filter between 2001 and 2004.
  • Analysis of patient indications for filter placement, including PE, DVT, and prophylaxis.
  • Evaluation of filter placement (infrarenal/suprarenal) and access routes (femoral/jugular).
  • Follow-up included chest CT for recurrent PE and abdominal CT for filter-related complications.

Main Results:

  • A low rate of groin hematoma (0.4%) was observed.
  • During a mean follow-up of 295 days, 7.5% of patients developed symptomatic PE, with one PE-related death (0.1%).
  • Follow-up CT scans revealed filter component fracture (3.0%), intracaval thrombus (25.2%), and no filter migrations.

Conclusions:

  • The TrapEase vena cava filter demonstrates effectiveness in preventing pulmonary embolism.
  • The filter is associated with a minimal complication profile, supporting its clinical utility.
Abstract

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