Renal failure secondary to thrombotic complications of suprarenal inferior vena cava filter in cancer patients.

Objective: To evaluate renal function before and after suprarenal inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement.

Methods: We describe, in a personal series of 13 consecutive cases (all of them stage IV cancer patients, one LGM filter, one Antheor filter, 11 Greenfield filters) in our institution, two cases of fatal renal vein thrombosis after placement of a suprarenal filter. Evaluation of renal function was based on serum urea (in mmol/L; normal 3.30-6.60), serum creatinine (in micromol/L; normal <115.1), and calculation of serum creatinine clearance.

Conclusions: This study suggests that in advanced-stage cancer patients who have a single functional kidney, renal functional insufficiency, or previous renal vein thrombosis, IVC filter placement above the renal veins may not be appropriate. Suprarenal filter placement should be performed only after analysis of predicted survival, after detailed discussions with the patient, and most importantly after renal function evaluation.