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Taking the inferior out of inferior vena cava filter follow-up

Nicholas I Brown, Reade Deleacy, Chloe Szikla and Ashu Jhamb
Med J Aust 2014; 200 (4): . || doi: 10.5694/mja13.00010
Published online: 3 March 2014

To the Editor: Follow-up of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters after insertion is a task that is variably successful. This was highlighted by a recent article describing poor removal rates of IVC filters at our institution between 2007 and 2009.1 Since that time, the interventional radiology (IR) department has established a filter database and clinic with the aim of improving IVC filter monitoring and removal. This radiology-driven initiative has been integrated into the standard interventional procedures and has proven extremely effective. Based on the success of this program, we advocate strongly that IVC filter follow-up should be the responsibility of those who provide the insertion service.


  • Department of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC.


Correspondence: nibrown@cantab.net

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Tan XL, Tam C, Mckellar R, et al. Out of sight, out of mind: an audit of inferior vena cava filter insertion and clinical follow up in an Australian institution and literature review. Intern Med J 2013; 43: 365-372.
  • 2. Sarosiek S, Crowther M, Sloan JM. Indications, complications, and management of inferior vena cava filters: the experience in 952 patients at an academic hospital with a level I trauma center. JAMA Intern Med 2013; 173: 513-517.
  • 3. Sella DM, Oldenburg WA. Complications of inferior vena cava filters. Semin Vasc Surg 2013; 26: 23-28.
  • 4. Zangan S, Funaki B, Van Ha T, et al. A focused follow up program to increase the retrieval rate of optional IVC filters. Chicago: Radiological Society of North America, 2012. https://rsna.org/uploadedFiles/RSNA/Content/Science_and_Education/Quality/Zangan2.pdf (accessed Feb 2014).
  • 5. Lee L, Taylor J, Munneke G, et al. Radiology-led follow-up system for IVC filters: effects on retrieval rates and times. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 2012; 35: 309-315.

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