Forceps-assisted Removal of Difficult-to-Retrieve Filters: Preliminary Results

The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the safety and effectiveness of forceps-assisted removal of difficult-to-retrieve filters. Patients who underwent forceps-assisted removal of difficult-to-retrieve filters (filters that could not be successfully removed with the standard loop-snare technique) between February 2008 and February 2019 were included in this study. Patients underwent forceps-assisted filter removal either immediately after failed loop-snare removal (same procedure) or at a later time (separate procedure). Data regarding success rate, X-ray exposure time, and complications were recorded. A total of 27 patients (14 men, 13 women; mean age 57.9 ± 12.6 years) were included in this study. The mean indwelling time of the filters was 10.9 ± 10.7 months. All filters were successfully removed. The mean X-ray exposure time was 25.9 ± 12.7 min (range 8–55) for all patients; the mean X-ray exposure times were 10.2 ± 2.3 min (range 8–14) for the 5 patients who underwent forceps-assisted filter removal in a separate procedure and 29.5 ± 11.2 min (range 15–55) for the 22 patients who underwent forceps-assisted filter removal immediately after failure of the loop-snare technique (P