What is an IVC Filter?
An IVC (inferior vena cava) filter is a small device inserted into the inferior vena cava – the largest vein in the body, located just below the kidneys. This metallic device, inserted either via the femoral artery or through the jugular vein, is designed to capture embolisms (blood clots) as they travel through the blood stream, preventing them from entering the heart and lungs. Over time these captured embolisms are broken down by the body and eliminated naturally. IVC filters presented a good alternative for patients who did not respond well to anti-coagulants.
Despite the good intentions behind the creation of IVC filters a large number of patients have reported a host of negative side effects, some of them very serious, associated with IVC filter implants.
Side Effects of IVC Filters
The negative side effects linked to IVC filters are well-documented. Since the rise of IVC filter popularity in the 1970s, IVC filters have been responsible for countless adverse health conditions. In 2010 the FDA went as far as to release a report outlining the high number of accounts received since 2005 regarding IVC filter complications and malfunctions. Patients reported issues due to device migration (the IVC filter shifting in the vein), device embolization (pieces of the device breaking/flaking off and entering the blood stream), device perforation, and filter fracture. These complications lead to serious negative side effects, including:
- Chest Pain
- Confusion
- Pulmonary Embolism (also known as PE, a blockage in the vein)
- Internal or external hemorrhaging (excessive bleeding)
- Respiratory and breathing problems
- Irregular heart rhythm
- Stroke
- Death
These serious conditions create serious life complications. Device fracture or disintegration can have a detrimental effect on the body. Hospitalization, disability, permanent injury, emergency surgery and other additional traumas are common for patients sufferings from side effects linked to IVC filters.
Filing an IVC Filter Lawsuit
If you have been adversely affected by an IVC filter you don’t to take on the medical industry by yourself! An experienced and aggressive Houston personal injury attorney from the Fitts Law Firm will work hard on your behalf to ensure you get the attention and compensation you deserve. The attorneys at the Fitts Law Firm know the medical and pharmaceutical industries; they know how to construct a solid legal strategy for IVC claims and lawsuits.
Contact our Houston office today for your free IVC filter lawsuit consultation. When you sit down with us you will have our undivided attention. We will listen closely to your concerns, complications, and your goals for litigation. We will also thoroughly explain what we can do for you and how we intend to accomplish it. We will build a case around your unjust suffering and hold those involved in your IVC filter procedure accountable.
Don’t hesitate to create your case! There is a statute of limitations for IVC filter litigation – if you delay in filing your claim your case may lose eligibility for pursuit of damages. Bryant Fitts is an experienced Houston personal injury attorney dedicated to helping people recover. If you think you may be suffering from injuries or complications stemming from an IVC filter operation, contact the Fitts Law Firm today for your free consultation and review of your case.