Bedside insertion of inferior vena cava filters in the intensive care unit

Background: Injured patients are at significant risk fur venous thromboembo lic complications, Multiple studies have reported a benefit of prophylactic inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) insertion in selected high-risk trauma pa tients. Often, these high-risk patients reside in the intensive care unit ( ICU) and require mechanical ventilation, intracranial pressure monitoring, multiple intravenous infusions, and other invasive monitoring modalities. T his puts these patients at risk for transport from the ICU, Methods: We prospectively studied a series of consecutive patients undergoi ng bedside preinsertion contrast cavagram and IVCF insertion in the ICU, Results: Thirty-two patients received IVCF. There were no failures to inser t IVCF. One insertion-site hematoma occurred; however, there were no docume nted insertion-site deep venous thromboses. One patient death was unrelated to the IVCF, and one potential contrast-related acute renal failure occurr ed in an unstable patient who underwent IVCF insertion for a pulmonary embo lus, Conclusion: Bedside IVCF insertion with a preinsertion cavagram is a percut aneous procedure that can be safely performed in the ICU, Bedside insertion of IVCF avoids the potential complications of transporting critically ill patients and may reduce costs.