The inferior vena cava filter and complications associated with its use

The inferior vena cava fi lter prevents pulmonary embolism by mechanically trapping the embolus in the inferior vena cava. It should be strictly indicated and implanted only in a selected group of patients with deep vein thrombosis. However, the introduction of a plenty relative indications significantly increased the rate of caval fi lter implantation in the last decade and it led consequently to dramatic increase of complications rate, too. The purpose of this article is to summarize the possible complications related to the use of the caval filter, to present the reader clinical manifestation of these complications, as they are often overlooked, and to show the possibilities of solving and treating individual complications.