IVC Filter Complications that led to Lawsuits
An inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is a popular medical device that is implanted in patients to stop a blood clot from traveling to the heart or lungs and causing pulmonary embolism. Blood clots are dangerous occurrences which if not dissolved or caught before they make their way to the heart or lungs can lead to fatal consequences.

Usage of IVC Filters
As mentioned, IVC filters are implanted in patients who are unable to take anticoagulants (blood thinners) or that proves ineffective for them. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is potentially a life-threatening condition where the blood clots blocks one or more arteries. These metal, cage-like devices are implanted into the inferior vena cava to trap the large blood clots and preventing them for reaching the lungs or heart. Some filters are designed to be “retrievable” while others are permanent. A retrievable IVC filter is intended to be removed from the body once the PE condition is under control, and is expected to be taken out 30–60 days after being implanted. Unfortunately, these IVC filters caused unnecessary complications which led to the bard IVC filter lawsuit.
What complications led to the lawsuit?
Sometimes the IVC filters break and migrate away from their surgically positioned location. This leads to the chance of causing a puncture in the vein or organ walls. Broken pieces of filters can migrate through the bloodstream and settle to some place causing fatal damages. The IVC filters were originally made from stainless steel and titanium so when they break within the IVC, it leads to the risk of embolization if not removed timely.
Patients might face some pain after the procedure. So apart from the above mentioned complications, call your health provider right away if there is:
- Coldness or numbness in any of the limbs
- Consistent bleeding at the site
- Swelling or pain at the incision site
- Redness or warmth at the incision site
- Leak of fluids from the incision site
- Chest pain
- Fever
IVC Filter Fracture and bard IVC filter lawsuit
According to one of the IVC filter studies conducted on more than 80 patients who went through Bard Recovery and Bard G2 IVC filters showed more than 16% of overall fracture rate in the devices. More than 921 device-related reports were submitted to the FDA between 2005 and 2010. Of them, 56 involved filter fractures, 70 involved perforation of the IVC and 146 involved the reports of embolizations. The agency cited that these adversities might have resulted because the retrievable filter remained in the body for longer time than required.
IVC Filter Lawsuit Settlement
Although there are no large mass tort settlements at the moment, C.R. Bard has a lot of lawsuits against them. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a warning on “known long-term risks associated with IVC filters” and Bard issued a Class 2 Device Recall for its Denali IVC Filter in March 2015.
The filters that have been the subjected of lawsuits are:
- Bard Recovery
- Bard G2 and G2 Express
- Eclipse
- Meridan
- Denali
The bard IVC filter lawsuit alleges the manufacturing company for the following:
- The concealed the potential effects of the IVC filter
- Did not properly do the clinical trial of the side effects of the implant
- Did not adequately warn the physicians and the patients about the risks associated with the implant
If someone you know experienced severe side effects after the implant of IVC filter can receive a free case evaluation from the IVC filter expert lawyers.