Duodenal penetration by a Greenfield caval filter.

Duodenal penetration by a Greenfield filter occurred in a 77 year old woman 6 years after it had been inserted into her inferior vena cava. The reported incidence of complications associated with the Greenfield filter is low. We report a case of penetration of the device into the duodenum. Plain abdominal X-rays demonstrated angulation and deformation of the filter. Cavography and abdominal CT confirmed transcaval penetration of the duodenum. The patient had suffered from severe diarrhoea, night sweats and weight loss which resolved completely with operative removal of the filter.