Venous thromboembolism (VTE) affects approximately 17,000 Australians annually1.While anticoagulation is the mainstay of treatment, inferior vena cava filters (IVCF) are used in patients where this is contraindicated. Most new IVCF inserted are retrievable2. However, there is a paucity of high-quality evidence around the safety and efficacy of IVCFs, as concluded by a recent Cochrane review3. Potential complications include caval perforation, IVCF fracture and embolisation, thrombosis, and device migration. Complication rates and failed retrieval rates increase with longer IVCF dwell time2-6. The primary aim was to...

An IVCF tracking database was established by Interventional Radiology at a single tertiary centre in 2012, after which a retrospective audit was conducted on IVCF inserted from January 2012 to December 2018. Our database is complimented by multiple point-of-care safeguards to reduce the risk of patients lost to follow-up. Data collection: occurred between April and December 2019. Electronic medical records, picture archive and communication systems were cross-referenced with database entries to obtain patient demographics, comorbidities graded with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), dates of insertion...

Demographics: In total, 402 patients had an IVCF inserted (Table 1). Of those patients, 47% had a CCI greater than 3, indicating moderate to severe comorbidities (Table 2). 78% had an absolute indication for insertion where the most common indication for insertion was VTE where anticoagulation was contraindicated (70%) (Figure 1). Retrieval attempts: 308 patients (77%) had a retrieval attempted, 10 (3%) of which required more than one retrieval attempt (complex retrieval). Factors associated with filter-related complications: Dwell time (OR 1.02, 95% CI:1.01-1.04. After mutual...

Limitations Conclusions regarding complications are limited in this study due to sample size. No analysis into the degree of tilt, thrombus burden, component of the IVCF embedded and its impact on complex retrievals, and recurrence of PE with IVCF in situ Conclusions Dwell time appeared to be a risk factor for complications and complex retrievals. The annual IVCF retrieval rate at our tertiary centre increased from 73 to 83% in the seven-year period since an Interventional Radiology-led database and follow-up model was established. 4% of...

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