Greenfield vena caval filter for management of selected cases of venous thromboembolic disease following hip surgery. A report of five cases.

The use of the Greenfield vena caval filter for thromboembolic disease following major hip surgery is an important part of the orthopedist's armamentarium for treatment of complications or contraindications to standard anticoagulation therapy. The authors report five cases in which a Greenfield vena caval filter was employed for treatment of a femoral thrombus or pulmonary embolism in postoperative hip patients who developed bleeding complications from heparin, had a recurrent embolism while on heparin, or who had had a contraindication to anticoagulation therapy.