Faulty Retrievable Inferior Vena Cava Filters Cause Serious Physical Injuries

Cases involving faulty retrievable Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters are currently being litigated due to their propensity to fracture or migrate within the human body and/or perforating the IVC.  The failure of these devices often result in serious bodily injuries including: perforations of vessels and organs, hemorrhaging, cardiac/pericardial tamponade, cardiac arrhythmia, severe and persistent pain and death.  The FDA is currently conducting a review to evaluate the risk vs. benefit profile of IVC filters.  To date, the FDA has recommended that IVC filters be removed as soon as the risk of pulmonary embolism has subsided. 

The IVC filters are manufactured by C.R. Bard, Inc. and Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.  IVC filters manufactured by Cook Medical are also at issue. 

The medical and scientific evidence demonstrates that Bard's retrievable IVC filters, in particular, are prone to an unreasonably high risk of failure and patient injury.  Multiple studies have reported that Bard's IVC filters have a fracture and migration rate ranging from 21% to 31.7%.  This far exceeds the reported fracture rates of comparable devices.