Patients with deep vein thrombosis tend to be pushed to feel as though an IVC filter would be the life-saving solution to their plight. For a lot of people, it is. But, IVC filters are supposed to be temporary. An IVC filter isn’t a lifelong medical device implant, and the complications they come with can be just as life-threatening as DVT. But the leading board for certification and recertification, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, suggests that IVC filters must only be used if alternatives aren’t suitable for your patient. However, over 100,000 patients in the USA get an IVC filter each year.
So what happens when your IVC filter gets contaminated? Among the primary reasons why top police advocate medical professionals to consider alternative choices to an IVC filter is because they are usually not removed as intended. If it happens to you, you need to contact our experienced mass tort lawyers immediately.
Frequent Problems With IVC Filters
The most common problem with IVC filters is IVC filter migration. This type of complication occurs because the filter moves throughout the bloodstream. IVC filter migration can be deadly. Migration is considered a serious problem if the device moves by even two centimeters.
Other problems include failure to open where the device does not open completely and is ineffective. The device can also fracture and send shards of the material through the bloodstream. Finally, there’s the chance that the IVC filter can perforate the vein. Typically, perforation only happens when the filter has been in place for over a year. This happens because the filter breaks under repetitive stress.
Signs of an IVC Filter Infection
The signs of IVC filter infection often happen within a very short time-frame after the operation. IVC filter disease almost occurred only at the insertion site and comes with the normal warning signs of disease.
As a patient, you might notice problems with recovery in the insertion site, or perhaps clogs. Leakage and pus should not be swept aside because these are very significant warning signs of an infection. Moreover, the patient can undergo a fever and lethargy. Nonetheless, your body takes longer than it to cure, and disease sometimes happens in the few weeks which follow surgery.
Communicating Your Needs With Your Medical Team
In 2013 the FDA, together with Dr. Jose Pablo Morales, published data that encouraged removing IVC filters soon after implantation. The FDA determined via a quantitative decision analysis that after about 54 days, the danger of having an IVC filter outweighs the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Ahead of the 60-day mark, there are clear benefits in having an IVC filter, yet after 54 or (rounded out) 60 days, the IVC filter becomes a bigger risk than the advantages it gives.
Most physicians don’t wish to hear that the individual needs an implant removed. Not only do they not need to run another operation, but frequently there is the anxiety that DVT will recur. As a patient, it’s hard to stand up to physicians who have extensive education but don’t always listen really nicely. If you know that your physician is having trouble listening to you, or is not hearing when you’re communicating your IVC complications, bring somebody with you. If that doesn’t help, then seek the view of another physician.
Discuss Your Case With a Personal Injury Lawyer
With Class Action Lawyer Coalition in San Diego, you can seek out your options for a complete resolution. The fact of the matter here is the risk of complications from an IVC filter can be reduced by removing it quickly once it’s no longer needed. And there are alternative treatment options available.
To learn more about what actions you could take against the IVC filter maker, contact our law offices. We help citizens all throughout San Diego know if they are able to file a claim for damages. Certainly, your problem with deep vein thrombosis required medical intervention. However, that medical intervention shouldn’t cause more problems for you and your loved ones. Seek out compensation to generate a complete recovery for all of the damages and pain you’ve experienced as a consequence of bad manufacturing.
