Prophylactic Inferior Vena Cava Filters After Major Trauma Didn't Affect PE Rate or Mortality

Patients who suffer major trauma can have excess risk for venous thromboembolism (pulmonary embolism [PE] or deep venous thrombosis [DVT]); however, many such patients initially have contraindications to prophylactic anticoagulation. In many centers, prophylactic retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are placed in this setting, despite lack of data to support this practice. Australian investigators randomized 240 patients with major trauma and contraindications to prophylactic anticoagulation to receive retrievable IVC filters (placed within 72 hours of admission) or not. More than half of patients had traumatic intracranial hematomas or contusions. Nearly all patients in the intervention arm had filters placed within 24 hours of enr…