What type of doctor removes an IVC filter?
Retrievable IVC filter should be removed according to manufacturer and clinical guidelines and assessment. These devices are placed and removed by an IR physician using precision image guidance. The removal procedure is done, usually on an outpatient basis, under light sedation.
Is IVC filter removal a major surgery?
According to the FDA and Radiological Society of North America IVC filters should be removed once the danger of a life-threatening clot is over. Although the procedure to remove the filter is also minimally-invasive, removing the device may be challenging especially after prolonged dwell times.
How long does an IVC filter removal take?
The entire procedure may take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the complexity of the technique needed to remove the filter. After the procedure you will remain in the recovery room until you are completely awake and ready to return home or back to your hospital room.
How do they take out an IVC filter?
The procedure to remove the IVC filter is similar to the procedure used to place it. A small catheter-based wire loop (snare) is inserted into the large vein in the neck. A removable IVC filter contains a small hook at one end. With X-ray guidance, your doctor uses the snare to grasp the hook and withdraw the filter.
Is IVC filter removal painful?
After having a vena cava filter removed, you may feel tired and have some pain for several days. You may have a small bandage where the catheter was placed. This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace.
What happens when an IVC filter Cannot be removed?
Without the IVC filter in place, a blood clot traveling to the lung could cause a blockage of the pulmonary artery. This is known as a pulmonary embolism (PE), a life-threatening condition.
Can you live without an IVC?
In patients without an IVC, there is blood supply to the leg but no drainage. Those who suffer symptoms are usually put on blood thinners, told to wear compression socks, and sent home to live with what can become a debilitating condition. Others may undergo an invasive surgery to try to correct the condition.
Should all IVC filters be removed?
Not all retrievable IVC filters should be removed if the risk of clots traveling to the lung persists and if blood thinners continue to be unusable. These filters can be left in place as permanent filters, but many filters can be removed even after being in place for several years.
When should an IVC be removed?
When should an IVC filter be removed? It is recommended that a removable filter be removed when the risk of a blood clot traveling to the lungs has passed, or if a patient can take blood thinners.