Inferior Vena Cava Filters: Analysis of a Database

The aim of this research was to assess the cava-filter implantation frequency in a tertiary hospital with venous thromboembolism treatment center. A retrospective analysis of patient's database was performed, who underwent treatment in the tertiary clinic between 2016 - 2017. In total, 2399 patients with venous thromboembolism were hospitalized, 442 cava-filters were implanted (239 in 2016 and 203 in 2017), which accounted for 18.4% of patients with venous thromboembolism. Removable cava-filters models were used in most cases (98.8%). Contraindications for anticoagulation were reason for cava-filters implantation in 119 (26.9%) cases, and in 184 patients (41.6%) cava-filters were implanted due to the inefficiency of anticoagulation. 38 (8.6%) patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism had pulmonary hypertension of the 2nd to 3rd degree, which caused the implantation of cava-filters . The occlusion of the inferior vena cava and cava-filters verified in 116 (26.9%) patients after cava-filters implantation, based on repeated ultrasound. The overall mortality rate in the group of patients with venous thromboembolism was 0.25% (6 patients), 5 of them (1.1%) underwent cava-filters implantation. The cause of all lethal outcomes was the progression of the underlying disease. During the next hospitalization 29 (6.5%) of implanted filters were endovascularly removed. There are 18.4% of patients with venous thromboembolism undergoing cava-filters implantation for various reasons in a tertiary hospital. At the same time, occlusion of the inferior vena cava and cava-filters in the early post implantation period is observed in 26.9%. However, without clear criteria for the differentiation of cava-filters embolism from its thrombosis, we cannot assess whether this was a complication, or if the cava-filters completed its task by preventing pulmonary embolism. Thus, the validity of implanting cava filters question in terms of efficiency and safety remains unanswered, which poses the task for deep study of this problem and thorough analysis of the indications for the cava-filters implantation.