A Pennsylvania IVC filter lawsuit may be an option for patients who have suffered complications as a result of an IVC filter procedure. Though the purpose of Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters is to prevent dangerous blood clots from making their way to the heart and lungs, many patients undergoing these treatments have experienced serious side effects and complications. While this procedure has proven successful in many instances, some patients have filed IVC filter lawsuits against the device makers alleging injuries associated with the IVC filters.
If you or a loved one suffered complications after an IVC filter procedure, contact Attorney Group for Pennsylvania to learn more. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions and inform you of your options. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated Pennsylvania IVC filter lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What Are IVC Filters?
When a blood clot gets stuck in the lungs, a pulmonary embolism may occur. In many cases, the clot will develop within the lower half of the body, most often in the legs. When patients suffer from a blood clotting disorder, multiple clots may form and travel to the lungs, making it difficult for the lungs to get enough oxygen to the rest of the body. Pulmonary embolism can be deadly and approximately one-third of people die when the condition goes unnoticed or untreated.
IVC filters are small cone-shaped devices that are designed to catch embolisms before they are able to travel up to the heart and the lungs, while still allowing for regular blood flow. These devices are inserted into the inferior vena cava vein. Patients who are good candidates for IVC filters include those who are at risk for pulmonary embolism, but are unable to benefit from anticoagulation medications, and those who have developed large clots in either their iliac or inferior vena cava veins.
Risks Associated With IVC Filters
Even though most patients benefit from the use of an IVC filter, others claim that they experience severe complications after one of these devices is implanted into their inferior vena cava. For example, according to The National Center for Biotechnology Information, these devices have been reported to:
- Fracture after being inserted into the body of a patient
- Perforate within the inferior vena cava vein
- Migrate from the inferior vena cava vein to another point within the body
To avoid problems after an IVC filter is inserted, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urges medical providers to remove these devices from their patients as soon as the risk of pulmonary embolism has subsided. The FDA is also conducting a decision analysis to determine if IVC filters are safe to use, and is in the process of collecting more clinical data for filters that are used in medical facilities throughout the country. Both of these actions will address safety concerns for IVC filters that are used both on a permanent and short-term basis.
Pennsylvania IVC Filter Lawsuit: Other IVC Filter Risks
C.R. Bard is one of the main manufacturers of IVC filters. In a study conducted at a Pennsylvania hospital, IVC filters produced by Bard were analyzed in 80 patients. In six of the 52 patients who received a second-generation Bard G2 filter, the device became fragmented while it was in use. In one of these cases, the fragments of the IVC filter made their way up to the lung of the patient, and in another case, pieces of the filter ended up in the hepatic vein of the patient.
In patients with the Bard Recovery device, the filter had a fragmentation rate of 25 percent. Of these patients, two of them experienced symptoms associated with pleuritic chest pain, and one had to have open heart surgery to remove pieces of the fragmented device.
Attorneys are alleging serious injuries and other complications in Pennsylvania IVC filter lawsuits being filed on behalf of affected patients.
Injured Patients May Be Entitled to Compensation
Medical device makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their devices, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a device maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
If a patient dies from complications related to a defective IVC Filter, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one.
Patients who have suffered severe complications from IVC filters, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the device, are encouraged to seek the advice of a Pennsylvania IVC filter lawyer to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Pennsylvania. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Pennsylvania today.
