A fatal complication of a vena caval filter associated with pulmonary thromboembolism

Vena caval filters are increasingly used for the prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with deep vein thrombosis ever since the introduction of the stainless steel Greenfield filter in the 1970s. Although complications associated with their use are rare, they can be fatal, and therefore it is important for forensic pathologists to be aware of their occurrence. Because of the ramifications of a medical device failure, a thorough documentation of the autopsy findings is essential. We describe an unusual case of a 75-year-old woman who developed a fatal pulmonary thromboembolism with concurrent migration of a lesser known type of vena caval filter to the right ventricle occurring 19 days after filter placement. A review of the types of vena caval filters in current use, and their complications, are discussed.