[Value of transvenous caval occlusion surgery in view of the complications]

180 vena cava filters (9 23 mm and 120 28 mm Mobin-Uddin and 51 Kimray-Greenfield filters) were implanted from 1970 till December 1985. Technical problems prevented insertion in 5 cases with each filter. With the Mobin-Uddin filter misplacement occurred in 5 cases (3.8%); in two patients embolisation of the 23 mm filter into the pulmonary artery, once with lethal outcome, developed. One perforation of the right ventricle during insertion was successfully treated. Recurrent embolism was found in 3.8% with Mobin-Uddin (M-U) filters, none with Greenfield (K-G) filters. Filter-related operative mortality rate was 3.1% and 0% respectively.