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IVC filters cause several complications, including cardiac tamponade and fluid buildup around the heart. When IVC filters break and migrate, they can reach the heart and let blood into the space between the pericardium and the heart, which could be fatal.
Thousands of inferior vena cava filter lawsuits have been filed by victims and their families affected by cardiac tamponade.
Experienced lawyers at Schmidt and Clark can help you seek compensation for medical complications like cardiac tamponade caused by IVC filters. You may qualify for damages, and we can help you receive the money you deserve.
Table Of Contents
- Quick Summary
- What Is Cardiac Tamponade?
- Symptoms of Cardiac Tamponade
- Causes of Cardiac Tamponade
- How Do Vena Cava Filters Cause Cardiac Tamponade?
- How Inferior Vena Cava Filters Work
- Broken and Migrating IVC Filters Cause Cardiac Tamponade
- Treatment of Cardiac Tamponade
- IVC Filter Fracture Lawsuits Related to Cardiac Tamponade
- Average Settlement
- FAQs
- Get a Free Lawsuit Evaluation
Quick Summary
- Cardiac tamponade is stress put onto the heart when blood or other fluids accumulate in the space between the heart and pericardium.
- Symptoms of cardiac tamponade include chest pain, abdominal swelling, breathing problems, dizziness, fainting, leg swelling, low blood pressure, etc.
- Causes of cardiac tamponade include heart attack, heart surgery, pericarditis, heart tumors, chest wounds, and a fractured IVC filter.
- An IVC filter that experiences fracture causes cardiac tamponade by migrating into other areas of the heart and causing cardiac perforation or adding fluid to the pericardial fluid to produce pressure on the heart and cause subsequent pericardial tamponade.
What Is Cardiac Tamponade?
Cardiac tamponade is stress put onto the heart when blood or other fluids accumulate between the heart and the pericardium.
The pericardium is a double-walled sac surrounding the heart, which usually contains some pericardial fluid. If more fluid is added, it can squeeze the heart because the sac can’t expand to make room for the new fluid.
Cardiac tamponade is a severe medical condition. When pressure occurs on the heart, the ventricles can’t fully expand, which keeps them from pumping blood to the rest of the body.
This can lead to [1]:
- Heart failure
- Organ failure
- Pulmonary edema
- Shock
- Kidney failure
Related Article: IVC Filter Lawsuit Update
Symptoms of Cardiac Tamponade
Patients suffering from cardiac tamponade will notice the following symptoms [2]:
- Chest pain increases with coughing or taking a deep breath.
- Physical discomfort that decreases when sitting down or leaning forward
- Abdominal swelling
- Breathing problems
- Weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Fainting
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Restlessness
- Pale skin
- Heart palpitations
- Leg swelling
- Low blood pressure
- A weak or absent pulse
Causes of Cardiac Tamponade
There are several causes of cardiac tamponade, including [3]:
- Heart attack
- Cardiothoracic surgery
- Heart tumors
- Cancer
- Pericarditis
- Chest wounds
- Heart Trauma
Many instances of cardiac tamponade happen when external objects like inferior vena cava filters penetrate the heart.
The trauma can compromise the pericardium and pericardial space and let blood and fluid enter the space between the heart and the pericardium.
How Do Vena Cava Filters Cause Cardiac Tamponade?
An inferior vena cava filter causes cardiac tamponade when they break and migrate from the IVC into other areas of the heart like the superior vena cava and the pericardial space.
When broken parts of the IVC filter reach the heart, they can perforate the pericardium and cause cardiac tamponade [4].
How Inferior Vena Cava Filters Work
Inferior vena cava filters are implantable devices implanted in the inferior vena cava by a vascular and interventional radiology specialist. This vein runs from the legs through the abdomen to the lungs and heart.
Once the IVC filter placement occurs, the IVC filter struts open to catch blood clots traveling up the inferior vena cava and prevent them from reaching the heart or lungs and causing a pulmonary embolism [5].
Broken and Migrating IVC Filters Cause Cardiac Tamponade
IVC filters tend to break. If they fail, they can move away from the implantation site and toward the heart, causing cardiac tamponade.
The majority of inferior vena cava filters are only designed for temporary use.
The FDA has repeatedly stressed the need to remove an inferior vena cava filter as soon as the pulmonary embolism risk has been eradicated [6].
One study found that the benefits of an inferior vena cava filter are highly outweighed by the risks 29 to 54 days after placement [7]. However, removing an inferior vena cava IVC filter is delayed or never happens [8].
“The FDA is concerned that retrievable IVC filters, when placed due to a short-term risk for pulmonary embolism, aren’t always removed once the risk subsides,”
– Namandje N. Bumpus, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, Food And Drug Administration
The longer the inferior vena cava IVC filter stays in the body, the more likely it is to break, causing filter migration.
Due to the blood flow of the inferior vena cava going towards the heart, most fractured IVC filter pieces go to the heart, causing superior vena cava perforation and severe medical conditions like cardiac tamponade.
Treatment of Cardiac Tamponade
Cardiac tamponade is a severe condition that must be treated as quickly as possible. A doctor must rapidly drain the fluid around the heart using a needle to remove fluid from the tissue around the heart.
Your surgeon may also perform a surgical operation to cut and remove part of the pericardium. Fluids are given to stabilize blood pressure until the fluid can be drained. Doctors may also give oxygen to help with oxygen saturation.
Many cases of cardiac tamponade are related to IVC filter fracture. The injuries these filters have caused have led to hundreds of lawsuits against IVC filter manufacturers.
If you or a relative have experienced cardiac tamponade from an IVC filter breakdown, you can seek compensation for the injuries caused by the filter.
Average Settlement
Based on previous IVC filter verdicts, the average settlement may be between $100,000 and $500,000. Below is an example of a previously settled case.
Sherr-Una Booker had her Bard IVC filter placed in 2007. Two years later, a radiologist noticed fragments of the IVC filter in her heart and spine.
A federal jury awarded Booker $3.6 million after her IVC filter fractured, resulting in open heart surgery to remove the pieces.
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FAQs
What Are Common Complications of IVC Filter Placement?
The common complications of IVC filters are excessive bleeding, infection, allergic reaction, damage to blood vessels, blocking of blood flow to the vena cava, leg swelling, a broken filter heating to the heart or lungs, and damage to other organs due to filter puncture.
How Do They Confirm Cardiac Tamponade?
A key sign of cardiac tamponade is a trio of symptoms known as Beck’s triad, which includes low blood pressure, bulging neck veins, and a heartbeat that sounds distant or muffled.
Can You Survive Cardiac Tamponade?
You can survive cardiac tamponade, but it is fatal if not treated quickly. If the extra fluid builds up around the heart too soon before it can be addressed, cardiac tamponade can cause death.
How Long Can IVC Filters Stay in the Body?
A retrievable IVC filter can stay in the body for around six months. As soon as the risk of a clot moving to the heart and lungs is mitigated, it should be removed.
If blood thinners cannot be used, the filter may have to stay in place for an extended period.
Get a Free Lawsuit Evaluation
If you or a relative have experienced serious medical issues from an IVC filter fracture, you may be liable to file a lawsuit against the filter manufacturer.
Our experienced medical device litigation lawyers at Schmidt & Clark, LLP can help you file a claim and get the compensation you deserve.
We can help you receive compensation for medical expenses, future medical procedures, and more. Schmidt and Clark can also help you gather evidence and expert witnesses if you go to trial.
References:
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21906-cardiac-tamponade
- https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/cardiac-tamponade
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000194.htm
- https://misuse.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/error/abuse.shtml
- https://www.drugwatch.com/ivc-filters/
- https://evtoday.com/news/fda-updates-safety-communication-on-ivc-filter-retrieval
- https://misuse.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/error/abuse.shtml
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24928649/