Swirl-inducing innovations for preventing vena cava filter blockage: Theoretical and experimental validation

Pulmonary embolism (PE) arising from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) remains a critical clinical concern. Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters can prevent emboli from reaching the pulmonary vasculature, yet they often become occluded, compromising long-term efficacy.

To address this, we developed a novel swirling flow diverter and evaluated its performance using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in both idealized and patient-specific IVC models, alongside in vitro experiments in a glass-based perfusion system. Key hemodynamic parameters were assessed under varying geometric conditions (pitch, diameter, taper, and placement distance).

CFD simulations showed that the helical diverter effectively induces swirling flow, enhancing wall shear stress and accelerating thrombus clearance on the filter. Both idealized and patient-specific models exhibited reduced thrombus retention compared with standard diverters. In vitro experiments supported these findings, revealing decreased flow residence time and lower residual thrombus volume.

Collectively, these observations underscore the importance of systematically optimizing diverter geometry to fully harness the benefits of swirling flow for IVCF applications. With further refinements, this novel diverter design could represent a significant step forward in reducing complications and improving long-term patency in venous filtration systems.