At UCLA, the expert team of Interventional Radiology physicians employ a wide variety of advanced techniques to remove the most challenging IVC filters, even ones that have been embedded for many years, or where attempts at removal at other centers have failed before. UCLA is a “quaternary hospital” referral center, receiving referrals for such difficult cases from centers around the country and even abroad. These include the use of forceps, laser retrieval, a variety of ‘loop snare” and balloon assisted techniques. Most patients will go home the same date after filter removal.
