Bedside carbon dioxide cavagrams for inferior vena cava filters: preliminary results.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using carbon dioxide (CO(2)) as a contrast agent in performing bedside inferior vena cavagrams before the insertion of vena cava filters. There was a consecutive series of patients undergoing bedside preinsertion cavagrams with inferior vena cava filter insertion. The setting was an 825-bed tertiary care hospital. The subjects were trauma patients undergoing inferior vena cava filter insertion. METHODS The intervention used was vena cavagrams with CO(2) as the contrast agent. The main outcomes we measured were image quality, adverse reactions, cardiorespiratory changes, and renal failure. RESULTS Ten patients underwent CO(2) cavography. All cavagrams were successful, demonstrating opacification of the inferior vena cava with identification of the renal veins and iliac bifurcation. There were no adverse reactions of renal failure. CONCLUSIONS Carbon dioxide-contrasted vena cavagrams can be safely performed at the bedside, and they give good opacification of the inferior vena cava.