Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are small medical devices used for patients who are at a high risk of experiencing an arterial blockage in the lungs or a pulmonary embolism. These filters are designed to catch fragments of blood clots formed in a patient’s legs or pelvis before they can get to the heart or lungs and cause potentially deadly health conditions.
Defining IVC Safety Risks
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety alert for the long-term use of IVC filters in 2010. This alert was updated in 2014 and warns of a link between the long-term use of retrievable filters and their fracture or failure.
Other risks of IVC filters include filter embolization—when pieces of the filter break away and travel to other areas of the body—and IVC perforation that happens after embolization and can damage internal organs. You can speak with a Lafayette personal injury lawyer to help you pursue compensation.


