Placement Procedure
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Your doctors will decide if placing an IVC filter is right for you. You will be referred to the department of Interventional Radiology where your history will be reviewed. Your referring doctor and the interventional radiologist will decide if a permanent or retrievable filter is right for you.
Your doctor will discuss with you the risks and benefits of this procedure. The placement of the filter can be done with local anesthetic, numbing medication, or with sedation medication that will make you relaxed and sleepy through an intravenous (IV) catheter placed in your arm. If you and your doctor decide you will receive the IV medication you will be required to not eat solid foods 6 hours before the procedure and stop drinking water and other clear liquids 3 hours before the procedure. You can take your medications with a sip of water if needed. You will also need someone to accompany you home if you are coming as an outpatient. If you are coming from home you will come to the 4th floor of the Feinberg pavilion, 251 E. Huron Chicago, IL 60611 1 hour before your procedure. After you check in with the receptionist on the 4th floor, you and one member of your family will meet with staff that will bring you to the prep and recovery area. Here they will review your health history , medications, and allergies. A short physical exam will be done. After reviewing the procedure and asking any questions you may have, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Once you change into a hospital gown, your blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature will be taken. An IV (into the vein) line is placed in your arm or hand if you will be receiving IV sedation medications. |
The Procedure Room
This is a picture of the procedure room where you will have your filter placed. You will be lying on the table. The X-ray or fluoroscopy machine is the piece of equipment that looks like a backwards letter C. This will move over you, but not touch you during the procedure. This is what produces the X-ray images the doctor’s use during your procedure. A nurse, radiology technologist, and interventional radiologist will all be in the room with you during your procedure. |
During the Procedure
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In the procedure room the nurse will help you lie on the exam table. You will be connected to heart and blood pressure monitors. The area to be treated will be cleaned with a special soap and covered with sterile sheets. Numbing medicine is injected into the area. You will feel some burning as the medicine is given, but once it takes effect, the area will be numb. An ultrasound machine is used to find the internal jugular or femoral vein and a small needle is inserted. Through this needle, a small catheter is threaded into the vein to the IVC. You may feel pressure, but you should not feel any pain.
Contrast Dye is injected in the IVC and X-rays are taken to assess for clots and the area the filter will be placed.
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A permanent IVC filter in place in a patient’s IVC.
A retrievable IVC filter in place. Notice the different shape from the permanent filter and the hook on the top of this filter. The hook allows the doctor to grasp this filter when the patient is ready for it to be removed.
Contrast dye is then injected through the catheter and X-ray pictures are taken of your IVC. The filter is then placed through the catheter and deployed into the IVC. It is located around the middle of your abdomen. The catheter is then removed and pressure is held to the catheter site for about 5-10min. A small bandage or skin glue will be placed to the site. You will then be taken back to the prep and recovery area. |