Vena cava filter placement
Find a heart specialistGetting a blood clot in your veins could lead to serious health conditions. A vena cava filter can help reduce this risk by stopping blood clots from traveling in your body.
What is a vena cava filter?
The inferior vena cava (IVC) is a large vein in your abdomen that returns blood from your lower body to your heart. A vena cava filter is a small device placed in a vein that can trap blood clot fragments before they travel into the heart or lungs.
This serious condition, called deep vein thrombosis can be dangerous if the blood clot breaks off and travels to your heart or lungs, where it can cause severe damage. If a clot travels to your lungs, it’s called a pulmonary embolism.
In the past, IVC filters were permanently placed, but new filters can stay in or be removed if your risk of blood clots decreases.
Prior to surgery, you may be given a blood test, IV fluids to help protect your kidney function, an electrocardiogram (EKG) or a chest X-ray.
You’ll also see your physician or surgeon for personalized guidelines to prepare for surgery including:
- Refraining from eating or drinking anything after midnight the night before your procedure
- How to get ready for your procedure including any medications you may need to stop taking
- Answering your questions and concerns
A vena cava filter placement takes about an hour. You may get a mild sedative to help you relax, but you’ll be awake during the procedure.
Your surgeon will numb a site on your groin or neck and insert a catheter through a plastic introducer sheath into the blood vessel. We’ll guide the catheter through the blood vessel to the inferior vena cava vein with the aid of a special X-ray machine.
Next, we’ll inject a small amount of contrast material through the catheter and take X-ray pictures as the contrast moves through the veins. Your doctor will use the X-ray pictures of the contrast material to precisely identify where to place the filter. Once the filter is in place, we’ll remove the sheath.
You’ll rest for a few hours in a recovery room. It’s important to drink plenty of water to help flush out the contrast agent. Most likely you’ll stay in the hospital overnight. Be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home.
Before going home, we’ll go over care instructions with you and let you know when you can resume your normal activities. You’ll also receive instructions on your medications, when to follow up with your doctor and how to care for your procedure site.
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