Question:
what is a greenfield filter?

I read of the death of a fellow member and quite a few people had mentioned that her life might have been saved if she had a greenfield filter? What exactly is it? How do they put it in? Thanks for your help.    — Renee B. (posted on April 28, 2003)

April 28, 2003
A greefield filter or vena cava filter is an umbrella type filter that is insterted into the vena cava. The purpose of the filter is to catch blood clots. We use them in all our super morbidly obese patients. For more information you can go to: http://www.greenfieldfilter.com/ They are very effective and have saved many lives. Best wishes to you!
   — ronascott

April 28, 2003
I had surface leg clots and possibly deeper ones in my left leg that were extremely slow at dissolving, so my surgeon ordered a greenfield filter put in the same morning as surgery (plust I had the heparin shots after). It is so inobtrusive that I totally forgot I had it. About six months after surgery, I had a fall on a treadmill...a whopper of a belly flop and threw my lower back out, had x rays to make sure I hadn't really hurt myself. The xray tech kept asking if I'd removed everything...safety pins, bobby pins, and so forth cause there was something showing in my lower groin area. Nothing! I answered, and perplexed he sent the x-rays back to my PCP. We laughed when he put them up to look, it was my greenfield filter! Looks like a tiny cocktail umbrella! And it is, in my opinion, a real life saver.
   — Rhondi S.

April 28, 2003
My surgeon requires a Greenfield Filter for overly obese patients - it was not required of me. I was a so called light weight. Well, at my 2 week check up, my Dr. threw me back into the Hospital due to Pulomonary Embolis- first thing they did was to put one in immediately. I ended up with Pulmonary Embilis and a Deep Vein Throbolis in my left leg. Thank God for the Filter, for my Surgeon and for sending me in for my 2 week check-up - if I would have waited at home longer -- I would NOT been here to type this!!!! Sally 3/26, Harrison, MI
   — Sally P.