Extraluminal or intraluminal inferior vena cava occlusion in pulmonary embolism.

Twenty-five cases of extraluminal and 47 of intraluminal inferior vena caval (IVC) occlusion for management of pulmonary embolism were reviewed. A comparison of results obtained with both methods suggests that the IVC umbrella filter provides the safer, more reliable means of IVC interruption in patients whose condition fulfills the criteria for caval occlusion. The simplicity of this technique and the fact that it can be performed under local anesthesia justify its consideration as the procedure of choice for IVC occlusion and permit its use in severely ill patients. On the basis of our positive findings, we now recommend that extraluminal occlusion be reserved for patients in whom insertion of the IVC umbrella is technically impossible.