Medical Procedure
In cases where blood thinners or clot-busting are proving futile, your doctor may want to try a more involved procedure.
Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter
An IVC filter is a little metal device that is similar in appearance to an upside-down umbrella and can stop the movement of blood clots in the veins. It is inserted into your body’s main vein, called the inferior vena cava (IVC). [6] This vein courses through your belly. It sends blood from the lower half of your body (below the diaphragm) back to your heart.
The procedure usually lasts for an hour, and you can go home the same day. The doctor will administer a medication that makes you feel sleepy and relaxed into a vein in your arm. Doctors give patients a shot, to numb the base of the neck or the groin before cutting and inserting a thin, flexible plastic tube called a catheter. Using an X-ray to guide them, the doctor will thread the filter into place in the vein. It will expand and bond to the walls of the vein. After the surgery, you may need pain medicine. When it’s time to go home, you’ll need a friend or family member to drive you.