What Is An IVC Filter?
IVC filters, which are manufactured by big medical device manufacturers such as Cook and Bard, have been known to cause significant injuries to patients because of safety issues with the IVC devices. An IVC filter is a medical device in the shape of a cone with spider-like wire, that is implanted into the “inferior vena cava” (IVC). The IVC is the vein that transports deoxygenated blood from the lower/middle part of the body to the right atrium of the heart. The IVC filter is implanted in order to prevent pulmonary embolisms from occurring; a pulmonary embolism is where the artery to your lungs is blocked (typically by a blood clot) and can cause shortness of breath, fainting, and even death. The IVC filter is designed to catch blood clots trying to move to the heart and lungs.
How Do IVC Filters Cause Injuries?
However, IVC filters have been found to be dangerous to patients and have caused significant injuries and even death. IVC filters have broken off from the place where they have been implanted and migrated to other parts of people’s bodies. The IVC filters can puncture organs, such as the heart and lungs, cause bleeding, puncture veins, and even move to the brain and cause strokes. When an IVC filter breaks apart and causes internal injuries, patients often have to undergo risky emergency surgery; often, the IVC filter pieces cannot be removed, meaning that the device will be stuck inside of a person’s body and likely cause injuries.
What Types of IVC Filters Cause Injuries?
The types of IVC filters that have been reported as faulty and are the subject of lawsuits include the Bard G2 Express Filter, Bard Recovery Filter, Bard G2 Filter, Cook Gunther Tulip Filter, Cook Celect Filter, and Boston Scientific Greenfield Filter.
Do the Manufacturers of IVC Filters Know About Their Dangers?
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the use of IVC filters is risky, so the filters should be removed as soon as a patient’s risk of having a pulmonary embolism subsides. Further, studies have shown that a more effective alternative treatment for blood clots that can cause pulmonary embolisms is blood-thinning medication. Despite knowing this information as early as 2010, manufacturers of the IVC filters continue to market the filters to doctors and patients.
Can You Bring A Lawsuit Against IVC Filter Manufacturers?
Yes, if you have been injured by a defective IVC filter, you can sue the manufacturer of the filter. Attorneys in Georgia and across the country have filed lawsuits against manufacturers under theories of defective design, negligence, misrepresentation, and failure to warn. If you are a patient who has experienced complications with IVC filters, please call Betty Nguyen Davis at 404-593-2620 or 404-733-1166 for a consultation with an attorney.
What Is The Value Of Your IVC Filter Lawsuit?
Each case is different, so the value of your claim depends on the types of injuries you suffered, the manufacturer of the IVC device, the amount of pain and suffering you experienced, the amount of time you suffered the injury before it was rectified, the amount of work you lost from your injuries, and the amount of your medical bills stemming from the IVC filter injury. One of our experienced attorneys can assist you in evaluating your claim. Please call Betty Nguyen Davis at (404) 647-0722 for a consultation with an attorney.