Purpose: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a frequently occurring complication in critically ill patients. Simultaneous occurrence of PE and life-threatening bleeding, may render medical anticoagulation impossible. For these patients, inferior vena cava filters (IVCF) present a valuable therapeutic alternative. The Angel® catheter is a novel IVCF that provides temporary protection from PE and is implanted at bedside. The primary objective of the European Angel® catheter registry is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this IVCF.
Material and methods: The European Angel® catheter registry is an observational, multi-centre registry. Patients from four countries and eight sites that have undergone Angel® catheter implantation between March 2013 and February 2017 were enrolled.
Results: A total of 114 critically ill patients were included. The main indication for implantation was a high-risk for PE in combination with contraindications for anticoagulation (69.3%). One clinically non-significant PE (0.9%) occurred in a patient with an indwelling Angel® catheter. No cases of catheter associated serious complications were observed.
Conclusion: Data shows that the Angel® catheter is a safe and effective approach to overcome the acute phase of critically ill patients with a high risk for the development of PE or an established PE, when an anticoagulation therapy is contraindicated.
Keywords: Contraindication for anticoagulation; Deep vein thrombosis; Pulmonary embolism; Vena cava filter.
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