Identify the critical IVC Filter complications

Whenever any medical process involves an incision, there's always a chance of infection at the place where the surgeon made the incision. The same holds true for IVC filters. Additionally, IVC Filters can puncture the vein or damage it as well. There have been situations when doctors planted these filters in a flawed way that stopped the blood filtering process. Here the patient would require another filter to promote blood filtration. When a filter is placed incorrectly, it can migrate inside the vein and its efficiency reduced. And in other severe cases, the filter might move towards the heart that might lead to an invasive removal surgery.

The IVC Filters are known to reduce chances of pulmonary embolism. But on the other hand, it maximizes the chances of DVC. There is a chance that the filters might become clogged with clots, which comes in the way of blood flow right through the vein. You can read through this MedTruth article to know more about the symptoms for clogged IVC Filters.

What are the clogged IVC Filter symptoms?

Pain and swelling are two chronic symptoms of clogged IVC filters. It can focus especially in the leg area. Also, when there's a clogged filter, it can impair the overall blood flow in the body. Hence, the heart might stop pumping blood to the legs effectively. There can be trouble in breathing, and you can also feel dizzy. If you notice any of these uncanny symptoms suddenly, it is a smart call to get in touch with your doctor at the earliest. The doctor might suggest medications or might want to remove the IVC filter.

The heart symptoms

Usually, the heart is one of the crucial organs affected by clogged IVC filter. It also happens when there's a fracture in the filter, and a part of it has migrated to the heart. The symptoms include the following:

Neck pain
Nausea
Chest pain
Confusion
Short breath
Light-headedness
An unusually high heart rate

Just in case the IVC filter stays in the heart, the complications might become chronic leading to the following conditions:

Stroke
Hole in heart
Internal bleeding
Cardiac tamponade
Problems in the heartbeat rhythms
Hemorrhaging

When an IVC filter has caused problems to the heart, doctors might conduct an open-heart surgery to heal the issue at hand.

The asymptomatic issues

There are several situations, where the IVC filter migration might not lead to any symptoms. Just like the blood vessels have nerve endings inside them, there are chances of internal injuries that can be asymptomatic. And such a scenario can be life-threatening, as no one knows what's going wrong inside the patient’s body. And thus, the apt treatment is either overlooked or delayed. One can’t detect the problem until there’s a CT scan or X-ray.

Just a small movement in the IVC filter can result in the major veins to tear. It might carry on until the internal injury is excess. And then the only way to treat it is invasive emergency surgery. Whether you are opting in for an IVC Filter transplant or are filing a lawsuit against it, you need to be aware of these symptoms.