An Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filter is a small, cage-like device that is inserted into the inferior vena cava, the large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the heart. Its primary function is to catch blood clots that may break loose from the veins in the legs or pelvis before they can travel to the lungs, causing a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism (PE).
