IVC BLOOD CLOT FILTERS MAY CAUSE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS

Have You Been Affected by Defective IVC FIlters?

Defective IVC blood clot filters manufactured by C. R. Bard, Cook Medical, and Cordis may cause serious side effects, including death. These filters cause serious injuries by tilting, or by fracturing and migrating to the heart and lungs.

Doctors implant these blood clot filters in patients who face the risk of developing blood clots, but cannot take blood thinner medications.

These small cage-like devices are implanted in the inferior vena cava (IVC), the main vessel returning blood from the lower body to the heart. They are designed to capture blood clots and thereby prevent pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs).

Initial Concerns

The FDA issued a safety communication raising concerns about IVC Filters in 2010. This safety warning was based on its receipt of over 900 adverse event reports identifying serious problems with IVC filters.

In May of 2014, the FDA updated this communication and repeated its warning about the risks involved with IVC filters. Relying on scientific research studies published in leading medical journals, the FDA reported that the use of IVC filters may cause a number of serious side effects, including:

• Fracture of the filter
• Emobilization (detachment and movement of the filter or filter fragments to the heart, lungs or other parts of the body)
• Perforation, puncture or other serious damage to the heart, lungs or vena cava
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
• Constant and severe pain in the heart, chest or elsewhere in the body
• Other serious injuries and death