Colorado Product Liability Attorney
What is an IVC Filter?
An IVC filter is a small, spider-shaped device that is surgically implanted in a large vein in the abdomen, the inferior vena cava. Its tiny wires are designed to catch blood clots that might otherwise travel to the lungs or the heart. The filters are typically used for patients who may be unable to take blood thinners and are thus at a higher risk of a pulmonary embolism or other life-threatening blood clot after surgery.
While some earlier models of IVC filters were intended to be permanent implants, many of the more recent devices are supposed to be temporary, used only for a short time to lower the risk of embolism before they should be removed. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received numerous adverse reports concerning the filters and has recommended removing temporary devices in a period of 29 to 54 days. In many patients, failure to adequately monitor or promptly remove the filter has resulted in serious health complications.
What Are the Health Risks?
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against the makers of IVC filters, claiming that the devices are defective and that the manufacturers failed to adequately advise doctors and their patients of the risks involved. Patients have complained that parts of the device have fractured or separated, leading to perforation of organs or blood vessels; that devices have shifted position or “migrated” in the body, causing pain and failing to work as intended; and that they have become difficult or impossible to safely remove.
A 2015 NBC News report linked certain IVC filters produced by medical device giant C.R. Bard to 39 deaths. Lawsuits filed against Bard and other IVC filter makers claim that IVC filters are responsible for numerous injuries, including:
- Bleeding
- Organ damage
- Vein damage
- Pain and stress
- Difficult or inadvisable removal
- Death
The Medical Device Lawyers at FDAzar
While some IVC filter lawsuits have resulted in large jury verdicts or settlements, other cases have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation actions that are still pending. If you have been injured as a result of the implantation, retrieval or prolonged use of an IVC filter, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact the medical device attorneys at Franklin D. Azar & Associates for a free consultation and no-obligation evaluation of your case.
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The Medical Device Lawers At FDAzar
While some IVC filter lawsuits have resulted in large jury verdicts or settlements, other cases have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation actions that are still pending. If you have been injured as a result of the implantation, retrieval or prolonged use of an IVC filter, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact the medical device attorneys at Franklin D. Azar & Associates for a free consultation and no-obligation evaluation of your case.
