Fewer Than Ten Percent of IVC Filters Are Successfully Removed
An inferior vena cava filter (IVC filter) is a tiny, spider-like device that is surgically inserted into the inferior vena cava (a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle body into the heart’s right atrium) to prevent blood clots in the lower body from traveling to the heart. Since being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2003, IVC filters have been planted into thousands of Americans. But IVC filters have been known to cause serious health problems in many patients because they can break apart or migrate from their intended locations.
For this reason, the FDA released an edict recommending that patients have their IVC filters removed once the danger of blood clots has passed. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. A study by The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has shown that less than 10 percent of IVC filters are able to be successfully removed. This is a serious problem when you consider that, as of 2010, the FDA had received over 900 separate reports of adverse side effects related to IVC filters, including 146 embolisms, 56 filter fractures, 70 perforations of organs or veins, and 328 instances where the IVC filter moved out of its original location.
If you or a loved one has been treated with an IVC filter and have experienced any adverse side effects such as the IVC filter moving out of place, you may be entitled to take legal action against the various manufacturers of these devices. But lawsuits against giant pharmaceutical manufacturers tend to be complicated and lengthy affairs. To get a settlement worthy of your injuries, it is important that you have the representation of a tenacious pharmaceutical litigation attorney.
Contact Farah & Farah
Farah & Farah considers it our mission to stand up for injured people against large, negligent corporations. We are currently investigating IVC filter related injuries nationwide. Call our offices today at (800) 533-3555 for a free consultation.
