To evaluate the efficacy of an IVC filter implantation in the prevent of a pulmonary embolism (PE) during endovascular treatment for a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremities.

We implanted IVC filters in 43 patients (22 females, 21 males, average age: 63 years) with DVT and who had undergone treatments including thrombolysis, aspiration and mechanical thrombectomy, as well as stent placement. We evaluated the incidence of PE by capturing the thrombus within the IVC filters, as well as the amount of captured thrombus.

New developing PE or aggravating of PE in patients with existing PE was avoided in all patients. No thrombus was evident in the IVC filter of 19 (44%) of the patients, whereas any thrombus was captured in 24 (56%) of the patients. Small amounts of thrombus were captured in 10 patients, whereas large amounts of thrombus were captured in 14 patents within the IVC filter. We performed a retrieval of the IVC filters in 17 patients within an average period of 15.3 days (range 6-45 days).

The captured incidence of migrated thrombus in the IVC filters was high in 56% of cases. As a result, PE was effectively prevented by IVC filters during the interventional treatment of DVT in the lower extremities.