Medical engineering & physics
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Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters have been used for over five decades as an alternative to anticoagulation therapy in the treatment of venous thromboembolic disease. However, complications associated with IVC filters remain common. Though many studies have investigated blood flow in the IVC, the effects of respiration-induced IVC collapse have not been evaluated. ⋯ We speculate that asymmetries in the flow may generate unbalanced forces on the IVC wall and on placed IVC filters that could promote filter tilting and migration, although this requires further investigation. If unbalanced forces are present in vivo, the forces should be considered when determining the optimal placement positions and geometric features for IVC filters. Therefore, these findings motivate further investigation of the in vivo hemodynamics in the infrarenal IVC.