IVC Filter Removal

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Our clinic is nationally and internationally renowned for IVC filter removal. Call 310-481-7545 to learn more about the IVC Filter Clinic at UCLA Health.

Treatment for:

IVC filter which is no longer needed

Why it’s done:

IVC filters can be protective against pulmonary embolism, but can also cause long-term complications such as thrombosis, fracture or migration. Thus, it is preferable to remove IVC filters which are no longer needed.

How it’s done:

An interventional radiologist uses ultrasound to access the jugular vein at the neck. A snare is used to engage the hook at the top of the filter, and a sheath is passed over the filter to collapse and remove it. Sometimes more advanced maneuvers are required for filter removal.

An IVC filter is snared and collapsed into a sheath prior to being removed from the body

Level of anesthesia:

Conscious sedation or general anesthesia

Risks:

Bleeding, IVC thrombosis, infection

Post-procedure:

Two to three hours of bed rest, then discharge home the same day

Follow-up:

None required