Surgical removal of a tilted temporary inferior vena cava filter incorporated with a large thrombus: report of a case.

A 68-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with left leg edema and dull pain. Magnetic resonance imaging and enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a huge myoma uteri compressing the left common iliac vein, thus resulting in iliofemoral venous thrombosis. A total hysterectomy was uneventfully performed under the placement of a temporary inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. The postoperative enhanced CT-scan and cavography revealed the 90 degrees -tilted filter incorporated with a large thrombus. As an increased dose of heparin that was administered during the following week resulted in no reduction of the thrombus, a surgical removal was indicated. The infrarenal IVC was clamped proximal and distal to the filter, and the tilted filter with the large thrombus was removed through a longitudinal cavotomy. The postoperative course was uneventful, and she had no recurrence or residual symptoms for 6 months following the surgery.