Sign in  |  Register

Illustrated Health Encyclopedia
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Ency. home > Disease > B > Blood clots

Blood clots    See images

Overview

Alternative names:

Clot; Emboli; Thrombi

Definition:

Blood clots (fibrin clots) are the clumps that results when blood coagulates. A thrombus is a blood clot that forms in a vessel and remains there. An embolism is a clot that travels from the site where it formed to another location in the body.

Thrombi or emboli can lodge in a blood vessel and block the flow of blood in that location. This blockage deprives the tissues in that location of normal blood flow and oxygen (ischemia). This can result in damage, destruction (infarction), or even death of the tissues (necrosis) in that area.

Sometimes, a piece of atherosclerotic plaque (see atherosclerosis), small pieces of tumor, fat globules, air, amniotic fluid or other materials can act in the same manner as a blood clot.

For more information, see:

Ency. home > Disease > B > Blood clots

[an error occurred while processing this directive]