Persistent abdominal pain caused by an inferior vena cava filter protruding into the duodenum and the aortic wall

Abstract

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement has increased dramatically over the past 2 decades. Symptomatic duodenal perforation by IVC filters with involvement of the aorta is a very rare, but challenging, complication. We report a case of persistent atypical right upper quadrant pain secondary to duodenal and aortic perforation by an IVC filter treated with cavotomy for filter removal, primary repair of the duodenum, and extraction of prongs from the aorta.