PE & IVC Filter Placement

‘Pulmonary Embolism’, is a condition similar to heart attack.

Is it a serious problem?
Yes. It’s an emergency condition & you must see a qualified vascular surgeon immediately.
Why does it happen?
In patients with deep vein thrombosis, a small piece of clot may break and move towards heart & lungs, causing blockage in blood circulation of lungs.
Fresh blood clot can also develop in blood vessels of lungs, especially in high risk population.
This can lead to sudden stoppage of heart & death of the patient.

Who are at risk?
  1. Those with blood clotting tendencies, lung / heart diseases
  2. Long travel history (Air travel, long car journey) Traveler’s thrombosis
  3. Professionals sitting at a computer / confined to one chair for long hours (E-thrombosis)
  4. Post-surgery, after accident/fracture repair procedures
  5. Paralysis, long bed ridden conditions
  6. Dehydration
  7. Cancer patients
  8. Pregnancy, contraceptive pill overuse
  9. Smoking, Obesity
What are the symptoms / clinical presentation?
  • Sudden onset chest pain, breathlessness
  • Feeling fast heart beats without any reason
  • Coughing out blood
  • Associated Deep vein Thrombosis.
What if I neglect it?
Depending on size & severity of clot, patient can die if no treatment done.
Treatment options?
1. Systemic / catheter directed thrombolysis:- Blood dissolving medications are given to dissolve the blood clot, and clearing the blockage to blood circulation of lungs.
Can be done only after admitting the patient in hospital.

2 IVC Filter placement:-
What is IVC Filter? - A Blood clot trapping device, prevents blood clots to travel from legs, towards heart. Thus it protects lungs from ‘Pulmonary embolism’.

IVC Filter Placement

When do I need to use it? - To prevent second episode of pulmonary embolism.

 IVC Filter placement:

How it’s placed? - By doing a small puncture in vein, it’s introduced inside the IVC(main vein, returning impure blood towards heart).No skin cut required.


Spread the love
4
(1)

How useful is this post?

Average rating 4 / 5. Vote count: 1

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?