PURPOSE

To determine relationships between prophylactic inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) insertion and pulmonary embolism (PE), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and in-hospital mortality outcomes in patients with severe traumatic pelvic/lower extremity, intracranial, and spinal cord injuries.

METHODS

Adult patients with severe traumatic pelvic/lower extremity, intracranial, and spinal cord injuries admitted to level I-IV trauma centers were selected from the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB). IVCFs that were inserted both ≤48 h after admission and before a lower extremity venous ultrasound were defined as prophylactic. Associations between prophylactic IVCF insertion and PE, DVT, and overall mortality outcomes during admission were estimated using logistic regression models after propensity score matching. Additionally, factors predictive of prophylactic IVCF insertion were estimated using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 462,838 patients, 11,938 (2.6%) underwent prophylactic IVCF insertion. Prophylactic IVCF utilization decreased over time (6.3% in 2008 to 1.8% in 2015). Factors associated with prophylactic IVCF placement were injury pattern, trauma center level/region, Injury Severity Score, and race. Prophylactic IVCF placement was positively associated with PE (Odds Ratio (OR): 5.25, p < 0.01) and DVT (OR: 5.55, p < 0.01), but negatively associated with in-hospital mortality compared to the propensity score-matched control group (OR: 0.46, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Prophylactic IVCF insertion in adult patients with severe pelvic/lower extremity fractures, intracranial injuries, and spinal cord injuries was negatively associated with in-hospital mortality, but positively associated with VTE. Further research evaluating the use of prophylactic IVCF placement in trauma patients with these specific severe injury types may be warranted.