Five-Year Follow-up of Prophylactic Vena Cava Filters in High-Risk Trauma Patients

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Abstract
TRAUMA patients are at high risk for pulmonary embolism (PE).1,2 A review at our institution (University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington) revealed several injury categories (severe head injury, spinal cord injury, and severe fractures of the pelvis or multiple long bones [or both]) for which the relative risk of pulmonary embolism was 21 to 54 times that of the general trauma population.3 Beginning in July 1991, patients who met the high-risk injury categories for PE and who had a relative or absolute contraindication to anticoagulation had a prophylactic vena cava filter (VCF) placed. We sought to determine the short- and long-term results of such placement with respect to the occurrence of PE, insertion-related deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and caval patency.