Duodenal penetration of an inferior vena cava filter: case report and literature review

The insertion of inferior vena cava filters (IVCF) is a well-known therapy used in the prevention of pulmonary embolism (PE). The incidence of IVCF-related complications is low and complete caval penetration of a filter with adjacent organ injury has a reported incidence of 0-1%. We report the case of an 18-year-old male who sustained a spinal cord injury after a motor vehicle crash. The patient received a prophylactic IVCF and subsequently presented with right flank pain, postprandial nausea, and vomiting. His exam was benign and a computed tomography scan revealed extra-caval penetration of the filter with struts within the duodenal lumen and psoas muscle. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy with extraction of the filter, inferior vena cava venorrhaphy, and repair of the duodenal injury. This complication illustrates the potential morbidity of a common procedure and emphasizes the importance of investigating the IVCF as a possible source of abdominal pain.