Effectiveness and Safety of Laser-Assisted Removal of Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters in a Single Tertiary Care Center.

Introduction: Laser sheath-assisted removal of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters with long dwelling time is a technique that utilizes laser-tipped sheaths. The laser light only penetrates vascular tissue by one hundred microns, causing the target tissues to disintegrate into particles less than 5 microns in size. This approach reduces the energy used during difficult retrieval procedures, allowing permanent filters to be removed in less fluoroscopic and procedural time overall.