Excimer Laser Assisted IVC Filter Retrieval

At Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL USA, IVC filters are successfully removed >95%. Technical failures, although rare, are usually related to excessive endoluminal scarring at the point of IVC filter implantation. Adjunctive (or advanced) removal techniques are often employed in difficult cases. The excimer laser sheath has been successfully used at Northwestern for patients who had failed all other retrieval techniques.

Before a patient is to undergo an IVC filter removal using the Excimer Laser Sheath they will be consented to participate in the chart review study and become a part of a registry kept at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The procedure itself is not being used as part of the study. Chart reviews will be completed and data collected on the procedure to remove the filter. Follow up after the procedure by phone call and chart review will be completed at least once, 1 week after the filter removal.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients will be male and female aged 18 years to 100 years old who were treated with either permanent or retrievable IVC filter placement and were referred to the Interventional Radiology or Vascular Surgery departments for IVC filter retrieval starting December 1, 2011.
• Patients have failed all other traditional methods/attempts at removal of their IVC filter.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who refuse the use of the excimer laser device to attempt to remove their IVC filter.