Clinical experience with retrievable Günther Tulip vena cava filters.
OBJECTIVE
To report clinical experience with retrievable Günther Tulip filters from implantation to retrieval and their status in nonretrieved situations.


METHODS
Seventy-five Günther Tulip filter implantations were performed in 71 patients (43 women; mean age 55 years). Indications for filter placement were pulmonary embolism (PE) or iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with a contraindication to anticoagulation (43, 61%) or perioperative PE prophylaxis (28, 39%) in patients with confirmed iliofemoral DVT. Retrieval procedures were planned for each patient. Patients with nonretrieved filters were followed with plain radiography and duplex sonography.


RESULTS
Technical success of filter insertion was 97.3% (73/75). Eighteen (25%) patients died from unrelated causes prior to retrieval attempts, and 6 other patients were too critically ill for a retrieval procedure. Of 49 (67%) planned retrieval attempts, 14 (19%) filters could not be removed owing to large trapped thrombi. The mean implantation period for the 35 (48%) retrieved filters was 8.2 days (range 1-13). Delivery tilt was observed in 12 (16%) filters and during retrieval attempts in 1 more case. For 9 nonretrieved filters, tilt and migration were observed in 22% at a mean follow-up of 30 months, but no venous thrombosis was assessed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data confirm the clinical efficacy of the Günther Tulip filter during implantation and the feasibility of its retrieval. Further long-term follow-up should be conducted on nonretrieved filters to confirm our results.
Wicky
Stephan
S
Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. swicky@partners.org
Doenz
Francesco
F
Meuwly
Jean-Yves
JY
Portier
François
F
Schnyder
Pierre
P
Denys
Alban
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D016306:Vena Cava Filters