PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE IRIE INFERIOR VENA-CAVAL FILTER

PURPOSE: In vitro and in vivo investigations were performed to evaluat e the Irie retrievable inferior vena caval (IVC) filter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clot capturing performance of the Irie and five other IV C filters was assessed in both horizontal and vertical orientations wi thin a pulsed-flow circuit with 240 clot challenges for each filter. S ubjective comparisons of the flow disturbance characteristics of the I rie and three other filters were also performed. In vivo studies consi sted of 13 Irie filter insertions and eight attempted retrievals in 11 pigs. Histologic evaluation of the IVC was performed with the Irie fi lter in situ and following retrieval. RESULTS: In vitro testing demons trated the clot capturing capability and flow disturbance characterist ics of the Irie filter to be similar to those of other IVC filters. Fi lter deployment problems occurred during three of the 13 insertions. S ix of the eight retrieval procedures were successful; four filters wer e retrieved 1 month after insertion. Follow-up cavography demonstrated two tilted filters and three caval perforations. CONCLUSION: The perf ormance of the Irie filter is similar to that of other currently avail able IVC filters. The filter can be retrieved after neointimal incorpo ration of the struts into the IVC wall.