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Vascular Institute of Virginia 14085 Crown Court Woodbridge, VA 22193
Phone: 703-763-5224
Email: info@teamviv.com
Fax: 703-763-5374
OR
Vascular Institute of Virginia 1440 Central Park Blvd. Suite 108 Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Phone: 703-763-5224
Fax: 703-763-5374
Email: info@teamviv.com

Our Doctors

Anish P. Shah
Rachel Piechowiak
Sandeep Bagla

© 2019 Vascular Institute of Virginia

Pulmonary Services

Symptoms associated with pulmonary diseases can be very lifestyle-limiting.  Our treatments may provide patients relief from these symptoms.

 

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter Placement/Removal

In an inferior vena cava filter placement procedure, interventional radiologists use image guidance to place a filter in the inferior vena cava (IVC), the large vein in the abdomen that returns blood from the lower body to the heart.  The most common approach is to gain access to the jugular vein in the neck, using ultrasound guidance initially.

Blood clots that develop in the veins of the leg or pelvis, a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), occasionally break up and large pieces of the clot can travel to the lungs. An IVC filter traps large clot fragments and prevents them from traveling through the vena cava vein to the heart and lungs, where they could cause severe complications or even death.

 Until recently, IVC filters were available only as permanently implanted devices. Newer filters, called optionally retrievable filters, may be left in place permanently or have the option to potentially be removed from the blood vessel later. This removal may be performed when the risk of clot travelling to the lung has passed. Removal of an IVC filter eliminates any long-term risks of having the filter in place. It does not address the cause of the deep vein thrombosis or coagulation. Your referring physician will determine if blood thinners are still necessary. However, not all retrievable IVC filters are able to be retrieved. These filters can be safely left in place as permanent filters.

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter Placement/RemovalRemoval of an IVC Filter can be as easy as placing one.  Using ultrasound guidance, the physician will access the jugular vein.  In order to grab the filter, a snare or retrieval device is used to pull it out through the access sheath.

 

Thoracentesis

Thoracentesis

Thoracentesis is a procedure to remove excess fluid in the space between the lungs and the chest wall. This space is called the pleural space.

Normally, the pleural space is filled with a small amount of fluid—about 4 teaspoons full. Some conditions—such as heart failure, lung infections, and tumors—can cause more fluid to build up. When this happens, it’s called a pleural effusion. A lot of extra fluid can press on the lungs, making it hard to breathe.

 

Tunneled Pleural Catheter Placement/Removal

A tunneled pleural drainage catheter is a thin plastic chest tube that is placed into the pleural space by tunneling it (placing it) under the skin of your chest.

Tunneled Pleural Catheter Placement/RemovalThis catheter is a treatment option for removing continual accumulations of fluid within the pleural space due to conditions such as infections, metastatic cancers, liver disease or advanced congestive heart failure. It is tunneled under your skin for long-term use (weeks to months) in removing pleural fluid.

The advantage of this catheter is that it avoids the need for repeated pleural tap procedures for the removal of the re-accumulating pleural fluid. This catheter also provides a simple way for draining the pleural fluid at home on a regular, often daily, basis.

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