title: Role of inferior vena cava filter implantation in preventing pulmonary embolism.
abstract: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing IVC filter implantation at Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, from June 2004 to June 2006 was conducted to study the indications of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter use and impact on short-term morbidity/mortality. A total of 17 patients received IVC filters. Five patients were excluded due to data loss. One month clinical follow-up was available for 12 patients and 6 months follow-up was also available for 4 of 12 patients. The underlying disease was deep venous thrombosis (DVT) with pulmonary embolism (PE) in 6 (50%), DVT without PE in 4 (33.3%) and PE with negative duplex scan for DVT in 2 (16.6%) patients, respectively. Indications for IVC filter implantation were DVT and/or PE with contraindication to anticoagulation in 8 (66.7%) and DVT and/or PE with complications of anticoagulation in 4 (33.3%) patients. No procedure-related complications were noted in all 17 patients. Three patients (25%) died of non-PE related causes during the 1st month. There were no PE related mortalities at 6 months. This data set indicates that IVC filter implantation is a safe procedure with no short-term morbidity/mortality and potential long-term mortality benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad. Pakdoc786@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Waqas
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Muddassir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehmood
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akhter
authors.forename: Mumtaz Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016306:Vena Cava Filters