Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placed in Neurologic Intensive Care Unit: Effectiveness, Retrieval Rate, and Mortality

Despite safety and effectiveness, IVCF retrieval rate for NICU patients was low, particularly those with worse mRS at time of hospital discharge. Worse SOFA and SAPS scores were associated with inhospital mortality.Clinical ImpactInferior vena cava filter (IVCF) is effective preventing post-filter pulmonary embolism (PE) in neurologic intensive care unit (NICU) patients, with only 1.7% experiencing PE post-placement, underscoring its role in managing venous thrombotic events in this high-risk population; however, the low retrieval rate of IVCFs, particularly in patients with poorer functional outcomes (worse mRS at discharge), and the association of higher SOFA and SAPS scores with increased inhospital mortality, emphasize the need for improved strategies to optimize filter retrieval and patient selection in critically ill neurologic patients.