Feasibility study of hand-carried ultrasound-guided retrievable inferior vena cava filter placement

BACKGROUND: With the development of ultrasonic diagnostic techniques in recent years, ultrasound-guided placement of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters has been widely used in clinics, and satisfactory results have been achieved. Our study aims to observe the accuracy of hand-carried ultrasound-guided retrievable vena cava filter placement, evaluate the feasibility and safety of this new method, and provide a scientific and effective interventional method and clinical data to prevent acute pulmonary embolism (PE) after battle injury of limbs. METHODS: Two hundred patients with post-traumatic thrombosis of the extremities were enrolled. The renal vein was located under the guidance of hand-carried ultrasound. The retrievable filter was fixed 1–2 cm below the opening of the renal vein. The self-expanding filter was used after the filter’s position was confirmed by injecting the contrast agent under the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) fluoroscopy. RESULTS: All the 200 patients underwent the operation successfully. The position of the hand-carried ultrasound localizer was consistent with the DSA localizer. All the filters were expanded smoothly. No complications related to the operation occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that the hand-carried ultrasound-guided retrievable vena cava filter placement has a high success rate and can prevent acute PE after limbs’ battle injury.