WHAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH THE COOK IVC FILTERS?

The Cook IVC filter is intended to prevent pulmonary embolisms, which is a life-threatening condition that occurs when blood clots travel from the lower body and become trapped in the lungs. If the clots block major blood vessels, lung tissue can be severely damaged, leading to organ failure and death.

Although pulmonary embolisms are very dangerous, treating stable patients with an IVC filter may actually be even more dangerous — especially if they are implanted with a removable device that is never removed.

Retrievable IVC filters are intended for short-term protection against pulmonary embolism, but they are not always retrieved when a patient is no longer at risk of pulmonary embolism. After 3-4 months, the risk of complications increases. If the filter fractures or migrates, it may be difficult or impossible to remove. In some cases, the filter must remain in a patient’s body because the risks of removing it outweigh the risk of long-term complications.

COOK IVC FILTER SIDE EFFECTS

Some of the most serious IVC filter side effects occur when temporary, retrievable IVC filters (such as the Günther Tulip and Celect) are not removed when the patient is not at risk of a pulmonary embolism. These life-threatening side effects include:

• Fracture
• Embolization
• Migration
• Bleeding
• Cardiac tamponade
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Organ damage
• Chest pain
• Death

COOK CELECT FILTER PROBLEMS AND COMPLICATIONS

Cook Medical manufactures the Celect Vena Cava Filter. It was approved in 2008 under the FDA 510(k) approval process. This allows manufacturers of new devices to avoid conducting new safety studies so long as the device is similar to another device on the market. Cook introduced the Celect as an improved version of the Günther Tulip IVC filter, which was approved in the 1990s.

The Cook Celect IVC filter is designed to stop or catch blood clots traveling through the inferior vena cava, to prevent a pulmonary embolism. They are implanted in patients at risk for a pulmonary embolism, who are unable to take a medication to reduce the risk of blood clots or if such anticoagulants have failed.

When the Cook Celect IVC filter is left in place after the risk of a pulmonary embolism has passed, the legs or struts that extend out in a spider-like fashion may fracture or break. This could allow the pieces of the filter to travel through the bloodstream and get lodged in other parts of the body, usually the heart or lungs.

In 2012, a study published in Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology studied 50 patients who were implanted with a Günther Tulip or Celect filter between July 2007 and May 2009. After 71 days, all of the filters had some degree of erosion into the vena cava wall. Overall, 86% perforated the vena cava and 40% tilted into the vena cava.

Symptoms of problems from a Cook Celect filter fracture or migration may result in severe and persistent chest pain and shortness of breath. This often results in emergency medical treatment to determine whether the symptoms are a heart attack or fracture of the IVC filter.

COOK GÜNTHER TULIP FILTER LAWYERS & COOK CELECT FILTER LAWYERS

Despite information that indicated consumers faced an unreasonable risk of injury or death from Cook Gunther Tulip and Celect IVC filters, the manufacturer failed to take adequate steps to protect consumers or warn about the risks.

Thousands of individuals have been implanted with the Cook Gunther Tulip and Celect IVC filter, exposing them to a risk of serious and potentially life-threatening injury if the Cook IVC filter fracture, migrate or fail. As a result of Cook’s failure to inform or warn physicians or the public, individuals who received one of these IVC filters may be entitled to financial compensation through a Cook IVC Filter lawsuit.

GKT is providing free consultations and claim evaluations to all individuals who received an IVC filter since 2003, who suspect that they may have experienced problems from a fractured Cook Gunther Tulip and Celect IVC filter. Contact us today at (304) 845-9750 or complete our online form.