Why is this procedure done?
The vena cava are big blood vessels that take blood to your heart. You have two vena cavas. The superior vena cava brings blood from your head, neck, and arms. Your inferior vena cava brings blood to the heart from the rest of the body. ‚
A vena cava filter is a special mesh that is used to trap blood clots going into the heart. It is most often made up of very thin wires. It may be long lasting or short term. The procedure to place this device inside of a persons heart is called a vena cava filter placement. It may be done in patients who: ‚
- Have blood clotting problems
- Are at a high risk of forming blood clots
- Have been in an accident
- Have a history of deep vein thrombosis from getting clots in their lungs
- Cannot use blood thinners and are at risk for developing clots
What will the results be?
The filter will trap blood clots that might go inside the heart. It may prevent other possible serious health problems. ‚
What happens before the procedure?
- Your doctor will take your history. Talk to your doctor about:
- All the drugs you are taking. Be sure to include all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and herbal supplements. Tell the doctor about any drug allergy. Bring a list of drugs you take with you.
- Any bleeding problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any drugs that may cause bleeding. Some of these are Coumadin ‚ ®, ibuprofen, Aleve ‚ ® (naproxen), or aspirin. Certain vitamins and herbs, such as garlic and fish oil, may also add to the risk for bleeding. You may need to stop these drugs as well. Talk to your doctor about them.
- If you need to stop eating or drinking before your procedure.
- If you are not feeling well. An infection from a cold or sore throat may raise the risk of infection.
- Your doctor will do an exam and may order:
- Lab tests
- MRI scan
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- You will not be allowed to drive right away after the procedure. Ask a family member or a friend to drive you home.
What happens during the procedure?
- Once you are in the operating room, the staff will put an I.V. in your arm to give you fluids and drugs. You will be given a drug to make you sleepy. It will also help you stay pain free during the surgery.
- Small stickers will be placed on your chest so the doctor can see your heart rate and rhythm.
- The doctor will decide what area to use for your procedure. It will either be the area around your upper thigh (groin), arm, or wrist. This area will be shaved, cleaned, and numbed. The doctors will use a needle to make a hole in the blood vessel.
- Your doctor will put a flexible tube called a catheter into the cut. The doctor may inject a dye as a guide for placement. The doctor will put in the filter using the catheter. The doctor will put the tool with the filter inside the cut and all the way into the vena cava. The doctor will put the filter in place.
- Your doctor will take out the catheter. The doctor will put pressure on the cut to stop the bleeding. The doctor will close the wound and cover the wound with clean bandages.
- The procedure takes 1 to 2 hours
What happens after the procedure?
You will go to the Recovery Room for a few hours. Your heart rate and blood pressure will be watched closely. The staff will check for groin or arm bleeding. Your doctor may give you drugs for pain. You will have to lie flat for a few hours if your procedure is done through the groin. After a few hours, you can begin to walk around with help. Some people are allowed to go home after the procedure. Others have to stay overnight or longer. ‚
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take all your drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex
- Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressing.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. This will help to flush the dye out of your body.
- Avoid straining from bowel movement. Eat a lot of fiber-rich foods like fruits, whole grains, and vegetables.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- If you have a short-term filter, your doctor may schedule a procedure for removal after 2 weeks.
What lifestyle changes are needed?
- Your doctor will give you a medical bracelet to let people know that you have a vena cava filter. Wear the bracelet always, especially when going through airports and buildings with metal detectors.
- You need to limit your normal activity level for a few days. You need to limit your activity until your doctor says otherwise. Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to return to your regular activity level.
- Keep blood pressure, cholesterol, and high blood sugar under control.
- Stop smoking. It can harm your heart, stomach, and lungs.
- Exercise regularly. A 30-minute workout each day will help keep your heart healthy.
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Filter becomes displaced
When do I need to call the doctor?
Activate the emergency medical system right away if you have signs of stroke. Call 911 in the United States or Canada. The sooner treatment begins, the better your chances for recovery. Call for emergency help right away if you have: ‚
- Signs of stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
- Sudden shortness of breath or a sudden onset of chest pain could be a sign that a blood clot has traveled to your lungs.
Call your doctor if you have: ‚
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, wound that will not heal.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Swelling in your legs
Helpful tips
Tell your dentist that you have a filter. You may need to take extra care to prevent possible infections from dental procedures. ‚
Where can I learn more?
RadiologyInfo ‚
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=venacavafilter ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚