Requiem for Liberalizing Indications for Vena Caval Filters?

1992 Use of inferior vena caval (IVC) filters has proliferated. In 1979, ≈2000 vena caval filters were inserted. In 1999, the number of IVC filters inserted annually had increased ≈25fold to 49 000. Retrievable IVC filters were first approved in 2003 and gained popularity rapidly. By 2006, retrievable IVC filters accounted for about half of all IVC filters that were inserted. The largest proportional increase in IVC filter use was subsequently in patients at risk for pulmonary embolism (PE) but who had had neither PE nor deep vein thrombosis (DVT).