The safety and effectiveness of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters were questioned once again when a new study suggested that IVC filters might increase the risk of venous thromboembolism when used in patients with traumatic spine injuries as compared to the patients receiving chemoprophylaxis alone. Top New York City surgeons analyzed the data, the results of which were presented at the 2017 New York Surgical Society Meeting.
This data might prove to be pro-plaintiff and provide an additional support to the ongoing IVC filter lawsuits wherein nearly 4,000 lawsuits are filed mainly against C.R. Bard, Inc. and Cook Medical, Inc., claiming failure to provide appropriate safety warnings, including information regarding the importance of IVC filter retrieval. This October, bellwether trials are scheduled to begin at the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, against federally-filed lawsuits involving Cook Medical.
