Predicting the Safety and Effectiveness of Inferior Vena Cava Filters

The overall goal is to characterize the current practice of IVC filter placement, including the indications, filter type, frequency and success of filter removal, safety of placement initially and in the long term, including filter mechanical stability and caval patency, and the frequency of subsequent episodes of PE and recurrence of DVT. The first steps are to identify the characteristics of use in a broad range of clinical practice settings in the US. Commercially available IVC filters from 6 manufacturers in the United States will be used. The type of FDA-cleared IVC filter implanted will be left to the discretion of the Principal Investigator at the Site. The following IVC filters will be utilized in this trial: 1. ALN Vena Cava Filter (with and without hook) (ALN Implants Chirurgicaux) 2. Option™ Elite Retrievable Vena Cava Filter (Argon Medical Devices Inc., designed and manufactured by Rex Medical) 3. VenaTech® LP Vena Cava Filter (B Braun Interventional Systems, Inc.) and VenaTech® Convertible™ Vena Cava Filter 4. DENALI® Vena Cava Filter System (DL900F, DL900J) (Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.) 5. Cook Günther-Tulip™ Vena Cava Filter (Cook Incorporated) 6. Cordis OPTEASE® Retrievable Vena Cava Filter and Cordis TRAPEASE® Permanent Vena Cava Filter (Cordis Corporation) Subjects will be evaluated at Procedure, Discharge, 3-months, 6-months (phone), 12-months, 18-months (phone), and 24-months post-procedure. All subjects in whom the IVC filter is removed will be followed for 1-month postretrieval. Mandated follow-up imaging will be performed at 3 months (plain film) and 12 and 24 months (contrast abdominal CT). In addition, clinical visits with physical exam will be performed at 3 months, 12 months and 24 months.