An experimental and computational study of the inferior vena cava hemodynamics under respiratory-induced collapse of the infrarenal IVC

Interestingly, this study demonstrates that a small variation in the flow rate distribution between the right and left iliac veins induces significant variations in the flow characteristics. 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.