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embolus |
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embolus (ĕm`bələs), foreign matter circulating in and obstructing a blood vessel. It may be a portion of a clot that has separated from the wall of a vessel (see thrombosis thrombosis (thrŏmbō`sĭs), obstruction of an artery or vein by a blood clot (thrombus). ..... Click the link for more information. ), a bubble of gas or air (known as an air embolus), a globule of fat, a clump of bacterial matter, or a clump of tumor cells. It circulates freely through the vessels until it reaches one so small that it cannot go further. An embolus in one of the vessels leading to the lungs, brain, or heart, if large enough, can be fatal; in an arm or leg it may lead to gangrene and, ultimately, the need for amputation. Emergency surgical removal is usually the treatment of choice for a solid embolus. Otherwise, drugs that dilate the vessels and anticoagulants are indicated. embolus material, such as part of a blood clot or an air bubble, that is transported by the blood stream until it becomes lodged within a small vessel and impedes the circulation How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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An autopsy found the 49-year-old Longshore suffered a pulmonary embolus, a blood clot in the lungs due to a deep venous thrombosis in his leg. 1) Other reported adverse effects include vocal fold paralysis, pneumothorax, internal jugular vein thrombosis, and foreign-body embolus formation resulting in cardiac and pulmonary complications. These warnings can be caused by any interruption of blood flow to the brain, whether by a narrowing of an artery, an embolus (or clot breaking off from another location such as the heart or the arteries in the front of the neck), a decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, or a decrease in the output of blood from the heart. |
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