A 43-year-old man presented to our emergency department with hematemesis. He had a history of multiple venous thrombosis after trauma with inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement 12 years earlier. Computed tomography revealed that one of the tins of his filter had perforated through the vena cava wall into the duodenum (Picture a and b). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed IVC filter tins perforating the second portion of the duodenum without active hemorrhaging (Picture c). We decided to manage the patient using conservative treatment without antibiotics. On day 7, gastrointestinal endoscopy did not reveal filter tins in the duodenum. He was discharged on day 19 without any complications. Laparotomy with or without venotomy may be needed in some cases to remove an IVC filter. Indeed, in published reports, all cases except one were surgically treated (1,2). We herein report a rare case of IVC filter perforation through the duodenum that was managed non-surgically.
Picture.
The authors state that they have no Conflict of Interest (COI).
References
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