Clinical experience with temporary vena caval filters

To look at the benefits and complications of different vena caval filters inserted prophylactically. Three temporarily implantable caval filter systems were used in 67 patients.

Twelve Cook filters (six transjugular, six transfemoral), 11 Angiocor filters (one transjugular, 10 transbrachial), and 44 Antheor filters (three transjugular, four transfemoral, 37 transbrachial) were successfully implanted. In known iliac vein or caval thrombosis, the prophylactic filters were placed during thrombolytic therapy in 46 cases, surgery in 17 cases, thrombosis in pregnancy in three cases, and high-dose heparinization without lysis in one case.

One patient had a fatal pulmonary embolism during treatment; seven thrombi were detected in the filter. Other complications were caused either by the underlying therapy alone (one fatal outcome of abdominal aorta aneurysmal surgery, two cases of cerebral hemorrhage, two cases of retroperitoneal hematomas, two cases of streptokinase fever reactions, one compartment syndrome, two cases of macrohematuria), by the combination of therapy and caval filter implantation (three cases of groin hematomas, three cases of arm hematomas), or by filter implantation alone (two cases of subclavian vein thrombosis, one catheter infection, one dislocation, one air embolism, one basket rupture). The bleeding complications were related to the aggressive thrombolytic therapy and would have occurred without filter implantation.

Because temporary caval filters have no long-term complications per se, their use seems sensible as long as there are stringent indications, including the presence of iliac vein or caval thrombosis and risk of thrombus mobilization. The Antheor filter system was the most convenient system for implantation.