The SENTRY Clinical Study

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a prevalent disease with a significant morbidity and mortality. The estimated annual incidence is 1.45 per 1,000 patients, which translates to 1,350,000 cases per year in the United States. It is estimated that PE results in more than 200,000 deaths per year. Currently there are two types of commercially available IVC filters utilized to prevent PE; permanent and retrievable. Both types of filters have documented limitations, such as tilting, migration, fracture, embolization and late deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Retrievable filters were developed to avert some of the late consequences of permanent filter, but in practice there is low success with eventual removal. In a series of 37 clinical studies, with a total of 6,834 patients the mean retrieval rate was 34%. There are numerous design features of the SENTRY IVC Filter that are intended to improve on the limitations of available IVC filters and obviate the need for retrieval.