Placement and Retrieval of a Gunther Tulip Filter in Patients with a Free Floating Thrombus in Inferior Vena Cava

PURPOSE: We wanted to assess the technical feasibility and clinical efficacy of the placement and retrieval of a Gunther Tulip filter for the prevention of fatal pulmonary embolism during the management of patients with a free floating thrombus in their inferior vena cava (IVC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six patients having a free floating thrombus in their IVC (three patients with an isolated free floating thrombus in the IVC that resulted from immobilization due to traumatic liver injury or cerebral infarction, two patients with coexisting deep vein thrombosis in the left lower extremity that was caused by May-Thurner syndrome, and one patient with coexisting deep vein thrombosis in the right lower extremity that was due to nephrotic syndrome and immobilization after hip joint replacement) underwent placement and retrieval of a Gunther Tulip filter. The placement of the filter was performed through the right internal jugular vein to prevent the risk of detachment of the thrombus during the procedure. Retrieval of filter was performed after the free floating thrombus of the IVC had disappeared on follow-up CT because of anticoagulation therapy, aspiration thrombectomy or catheter directed Urokinase thrombolysis. RESULTS: The Gunther Tulip filter was successfully placed in the IVC in all six patients and it was retrieved after the management of the free floating thrombus. The mean duration of the placement of the filter was 11 days (range: 7-25 days). Two patients underwent placement of an iliac vein stent for the management of May-Thurner syndrome. Detachment of the free floating thrombus in the IVC and the subsequent thrombus entrapment in the filter were documented during aspiration thrombectomy or Urokinase thrombolysis in four patients. Recurrent thrombus didn't occur during the follow-up period (range: 3-20 months) in five of the six patients. In one patient, a recurrent thrombus due to the discontinuance of anticoagulation therapy was identified at the filter detachment site of the IVC on the follow-up CT 10 days after the filter retrieval, but it disappeared 15 days after proper anticoagulation therapy was done. CONCLUSION: Temporary Gunther Tulip filter placement is technically feasible and efficacious for the prophylaxis of pulmonary embolism in those patients with a free floating thrombus in the IVC, and particularly in those patients who will have subsequent aspiration thrombectomy or catheter directed Urokinase thrombolyis performed.

Prevention of Potential Complications Related to Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Procedure: Efficacy of Polytetrafluoroethylene Stent Grfat

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) stent graft for preventing potential complications related to a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2002 and March 2003, seven patients (males: 5, females: 2, mean age: 44) underwent TIPS stent placement using the PTFE stent graft (Nitis, Taewoong, Seoul, Korea) to prevent potential complications such as life threatening hemoperitoneum, hemobilia and early stent occlusion. Three patients were admitted for esophageal varix bleeding, three patients were admitted for gastric varix bleeding and one patient was admitted for umbilical bleeding. The extrahepatic portal vein was punctured inadvertently in four patients (main portal vein: 1 case, portal vein bifurcation: 3 cases), but contrast media extravasation into the peritoneal cavity on the tractogram was noted only in two patients. Two of four patients had chronic portal vein occlusion with intra- and extrahepatic cavernous transformation. The bile duct was inadvertently punctured and visualized on the tractogram in three patients. RESULTS:All the identified biliary trees or contrast media extravasations observed on the tractograms were successfully sealed off on the post-procedure portograms. The immediate post-procedure clinical recovery courses were uneventful in all patients (no hemobilia or hemoperitoneum was noted). Bleeding control was successful in all patients. The one patient who had Child-Pugh class C disease died of hepatic encephalopathy 3 days after TIPS placement. Five of the six living patients have not shown any complications or rebleeding during the follow up periods (9-23 months). The one patient who had biliary communication on the tractogram re-bled due to TIPS stent stenosis 25 days after TIPS, and this patient was successfully treated by TIPS revision. CONCLUSION: Potential complications related to TIPS procedure can be successfully prevented with PTFE stent-graft placement.