You Can Dive With DVT and IVC - Incredible News from President of B|Braun

Incredible news for people who want to scuba dive with a vena cava filter (IVC) and for those divers taking high dosage coumadin instead of getting a vena cava filter (IVC) installed.

Divers, I have received an email from the president of B|Braun the manufacturer of the vena cava filter (IVC) that was installed to prevent a pulmonary embolism or stray blog clot from killing me. I was truly shocked to receive the email so quickly, I mean it was a long shot sending this email and I was desperate because I was going on trip to the Bahamas (Freeport, Pelican Bay). My doctor had told me that she would NOT sign off for the NAUI certification form. She called my vascular surgeon who told her she would be crazy to sign the waiver because the VC filter installed in me could not sustain the atmospheric pressure and it said so on the box.

This was untrue I learned. The president of the company emailed me and told me that the vena cava filter could withstand and atmospheric pressure after 8 months of being installed!

So for everyone who was told they could not dive because of a vena cava filter may want to check with the manufacture...

Basically there is a lot of miss information out there and doctors are either scared because of so many frivolous lawsuits or too busy to check the facts.

What is a Vena Cava Filter and How Does this filter help with DVT's and blood clots

Okay I finally am getting to the topic of machinery that they installed in my body. First off let me give a little history. I had a blood clot in my leg that felt like a severe muscle cramp or pulled muscle. I went into to get it removed and was put on Heprin. 

I was release from the hospital and formed another blood clot. I was readmitted to the hospital and was put on heprin again. This time the doctors decided to install a Vena Cava filter in me.

I was surprised to find out this device does limit diving even though I can find no eveidence of this anywhere  (the doctor says the warning is on the box) . I will be calling their offices to make sure this is the case.

This is what the filter looks like:

Well anyways this Braun filter that they installed in me has the potential to stop a floating blood clot from going into my lungs and brain. Even though the doctor told me that I have blood clots already in my lungs and more than likely have some in my brain, I guess this is just a precautionary procedure to stop more from coming in.

This is how it works (click the image  below to make it bigger):

Check out these links for in-depth information and clinical trials with this filter. These links were not easy to find:

In Vitro Evaluation of a New Vena Cava Filter

Braun the company that makes the device I have in me - Vena Cava Filter LP