Inferior vena cava filters in trauma patients: who is responsible for their removal?

To the Editor: The prophylactic use of inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs) in trauma patients for whom anticoagulation is contraindicated has markedly increased over the past few years. Their need for caval filtration is usually only transient, and once the risk of venous thromboembolism is deemed to be minimal, it would seem appropriate that IVCFs be retrieved. However, a large number of IVCFs remain in situ, due to either failure of retrieval or lack of follow-up. We observed a case that touches on both of these two major problems associated with IVCF retrieval.