Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Vena Cava Filter

Definition

A vena cava filter is a device inserted into a major vein to prevent a blood clot from entering the lungs.

Purpose

The purpose of a vena cava filter is to prevent a blood clot from potentially traveling to the lungs. A thrombus clot traveling to the lungs is called a pulmonary embolism (PE). A thrombus in the deep venous system (the part of the circulation that brings blood back to the heart) represents a disorder of normal hemostasis (the normal clotting of blood).

Insertion of a vena cava filter is indicated for patients who:

• cannot receive medications that can dissolve the clot (anticoagulation therapy)
• have a thrombus in a deeply situated vein
• experiance complication of anticoagulation therapy such as bleeding
• experiance failure of anticoagulation therapy to prevent...