Greenfield filter in renal transplant patients

B. E. Jarrell, S. Szentpetery, G. Mendez-Picon, H. M. Lee and L. J. Greenfield

Renal transplant patients in whom deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (PE) develop usually respond to heparin sodium treatment. A small percentage of transplant patients will require vena caval filter placement to prevent recurrent PE, and this report details our experience with two patients. In one patient there was contraindication to heparin, and in the other, a massive recurrent PE. Greenfield filters were inserted transvenously in these patients and found to be well tolerated. There was no evidence of renal compromise, recurrent PE, or other complications. Follow-up venograms confirmed the presence of patent vena cavas with properly positioned filtered. Autopsy studies subsequently performed confirmed the clinical assessment of each patient's course, and neither patient died of recurrent embolism.