Nationwide Class Action Law Firm

IVC Filter Blood Clot Lawsuits – Helping Patients With IVC Filter Complications

Edelson Lechtzin LLP represents patients injured by a medical device intended only for temporary use but which is often left permanently in patients exposing them to a variety of ailments including blood clots, hemorrhages and heart attacks. The device is called a retrievable inferior vena cava filter or IVC filter.

IVC filters are medical devices that are inserted in the inferior vena cava, which is the main blood vessel that returns blood from the lower half of the body to the heart. IVC filters are designed to filter blood clots that develop in the lower extremities before they reach the lungs. Retrievable IVC filters are intended for short term use and should be removed after the risk of a blood clot passes.

IVC filters are commonly used with tens of thousands of patients being implanted with IVC filters each year. Major manufacturers include Cordis Corporation, Cook Medical and C.R. Bard, Inc.

The risks and complications of leaving certain retrievable IVC filters in the body for a prolonged period of time include the following:

  • Increased risk of blood clots
  • Perforation of various organs
  • Device migration
  • Device fracture

In 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory regarding adverse events reports it had received regarding IVC filters. In a subsequent safety communication in 2014, the FDA recommended that physicians remove the retrievable IVC filters as soon as they are no longer needed by the patient. The removal of IVC’s requires invasive surgery and can pose significant risks.

If you have been injured by an IVC filter, please complete the form below. An attorney will contact you promptly to discuss your concerns with no obligation on your part.

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