While the IVC filter may prevent blood clots, the device is causing other life-threatening injuries. The filter is breaking apart and metal pieces have moved to other parts of the body causing perforations in organs including the heart and lungs. The improper movement of the IVC filter can cause severe bleeding, further blood clots and other life-threatening complications.

A study published in Cardiovascular Interventional Radiology in 2012 found that 100% of Cook IVC filters punctured the patient’s venal wall within 71 day of implantation. In 40% of patients, the IVC filter had tilted away from its original optimum position for capturing blood clots from the leg.

The retrievable IVC filter is not designed to be a long-term solution. Once a patient’s risk for pulmonary embolism is reduced, the temporary filter should be retrieved. In August 2010, the FDA issued an advisory after it had received 921 adverse event reports including filter migration, embolization, IVC perforations and filter fracture. The FDA reported the complications were related to the filter remaining in the body for long periods of time – long after the patient’s blood clotting problems had subsided. The FDA recommended removing the filter as soon as the protection from blood clot is no longer needed.