Today on Inside Look by Brook’s, Steve Brooks talks about IVC Filters.

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Introduction

Good afternoon and welcome to Friday’s Inside Look by Brook’s. I’m Steve Brooks with offices in Tampa, Lakeland, Winter Haven, and Auburndale. We’re an all injury law firm practicing here in the State of Florida. So, today’s topic is going to be about a product. It’s called the IVC Filter.

About IVC Filters

Now, for those of you who have had blood clots in the past, I’m sure you’ve heard about IVC Filters. But to give you a little background on a little anatomy. The Vena Cava vein is the largest vein in your body that goes from your lower extremities to your heart, about the size of a garden hose – it’s a huge vein. This vein carries deoxygenated blood back to the heart from the lower extremities. So, if you are a person who has had a prior blood clot; an embolism; or have recently had surgery; or a pregnancy; or you’re an older person; or an obese person, those are all risk factors for getting a blood clot. And if you had a blood clot it would travel up the Vena Cava to your heart and lungs, and potentially create a pulmonary embolism, and could be potentially fatal. So, some of the drug companies have come out with a filter, and the filter… It’s a metal filter and it’s got legs on it, and it actually looks like a metal spider. A surgeon will go in the Vena Cava, insert the filter, so it can then be there to stop any potential clot if you had any risk factors. They can insert a filter to stop a clot, hopefully stopping the clot from traveling to your lungs and creating a pulmonary embolism.

Problem With IVC Filters

The problem was created, in that, in many cases the filter is causing more problem than it is preventing. Because the filter is made of metal and if it were to break apart, that leg can travel up the Vena Cava to the heart and lungs and create the same problem it was trying to stop and that is exactly what’s happened in many case. The metal parts are breaking down and traveling up the Vena Cava, this huge vein, to the heart and lungs – creating a potentially deadly situation.

Considering IVC Filters

So, in the event you have any of those risk factors that might necessitate a filter, like pregnancy, recent surgery, prior history of blood clots, obesity, elderly age and your doctors determine that you potentially need an IVC filter to stop potential blood clots, you need to have a heart to heart conversation with your doctor about the risk factors. The risks are real. Right now, there are over 6,000 cases in Federal Court from people who have suffered injury and damage from these filters dislodging and the metal parts moving up, into the upper torso. If you have had an IVC filter and have chest pain; confusion; hemorrhage; shortness of breath; any symptom in the upper part of your body that doesn’t feel normal, pain wise, you’re going to want to go back to your doctor to get checked, or go to the emergency room.

Potential Case?

If you have a problem with an IVC filter, don’t hesitate to contact us to get more information. We’ll be glad to talk to you to spell out what you’re looking at. You’re welcome to private email me, [email protected]. So that is one of the product areas we are delving into, and if you go to our website at brookslawgroup.com, you can see other practice areas and products we’re involved with – Mesothelioma, Risperdal, Hernia Mesh, Transvaginal Mesh. So, if we can help you in any of these areas, we‘d be glad to. So, I wanted to talk a little bit about IVC filters because it’s one of those things that clearly was a good intention on the creation of those to prevent blood clots. But when they start causing more problems than they prevent, it’s something you really have to look at potentially not doing. FLORIDA Right now, we’re sitting in Florida and what is it, Bryce? About 80-85? We’re in late Feb. I understand out west, they’re having record cold temperatures, but here in Florida we’re having record heat. I feel like I’m getting cheated of my winter. I love cold weather. I get a lot of the heat in summer, and I enjoy heat, too, but year round it can get kind of oppressive. So that’s where we’re at in Florida right now.

Conclusion

Again, if anybody has any questions about IVC filter, any other products, or injury type cases please feel free to call me at 1(800) 529-3030 or email me at [email protected], I’ll be glad to talk to you, no obligation, just chat with you about your case or potential case. So, thank you for joining us today. We’ll look forward to seeing you next Friday for our 3:00 edition of Inside Look by Brooks.

Stephen K. Brooks
Author: Stephen K. Brooks

Steve was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. As was the practice for new doctors his father worked day and night during his medical residency at Charity Hospital there. Steve comes from a long line of doctors. His father, his grandfather, his great grandfather, even two uncles were all specialists and/or surgeons in their chosen medical specialties, including internal medicine specialist, obstetrics / gynecology, neurosurgery and general practice / surgery. His great-great grandfather was the Surgeon General of Ohio during the Civil War.