The association of IVC filter placement with the incidence of postoperative pulmonary embolism following laparoscopic bariatric surgery: an analysis of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Project.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep venous thrombosis, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after bariatric surgery. Inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs) have been used as a method to reduce the incidence of clinically significant PEs after bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the incidence of postoperative PEs in patients with IVCFs with those in patients without IVCFs at the time of bariatric surgery.

SETTING: American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program.

METHODS: All patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy from 2015 to 2016 were identified within the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database. Patients with an IVCF present at the time of surgery were compared with those patients without an IVCF present at the time of surgery with respect to preoperative patient variables, operative variables, incidence of 30-day PE, deep venous thrombosis, and additional 30-day morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS: A total of 286,704 patients met the inclusion criteria; 2512 (.9%) patients had an IVCF present at the time of surgical intervention, of which 1747 (69.5%) were placed within 30 days of bariatric surgery. Patients with an IVCF were higher-risk patients as determined by previously established risk factors for venous thromboembolism events. When a subgroup matched analysis using variables associated with the risk of venous thromboembolism events was performed looking at higher-risk patients only, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of PE based on the presence of an IVCF.

CONCLUSION: IVCFs are being selectively placed in higher-risk patients. Despite their selective use, IVCFs do not appear to have a protective benefit with respect to the incidence of postoperative PE events.