[Antheor percutaneous endocaval filter. Multicenter evaluation based on 300 cases]

Abstract

The authors report a follow up from 6 months to 2 1/2 years concerning 300 Antheor caval filters. This multicenter study was brought about so as to assess the effectiveness of the interruption barrier as well as possible complications stemming from features of the filter. The biomechanical parameters and the specifications for the filter are presented: filtration principle, nature of the alloy and biocompatibility, self-centered doubly fixed mechanism and antimigration clipping system. The main indications taken into account are pulmonary embolism (65% of cases), floating femoro-ilio-caval thrombus (33%) and contraindications of anticoagulants. Insertion conditions are analyzed as is the technique employed almost constantly percutaneous, and somewhat more often femoral than jugulo-sub-clavian. The authors then expose the modalities of the surveillance protocol. Controls are made after 1 week, 2 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months an half. They consist of a clinical evaluation, an analysis of the nature of the anticoagulant or anti-aggregation treatment, a plain abdominal radiology, a venous duplex scan examination of the lower limbs and the inferior vena cava and, in some case, a phlebographic and scanographic examination. In terms of the effectiveness, the reported results are convincing, with a rate of only 1% of recurrent embolism and 98% of vena cava patency.