A6 - Thrombosis, Embolism Flashcards
What is thrombosis?
the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) inside one of your blood vessels or a chamber of your heart.
It is a local development
Predisposing factors to thrombosis:
Built upon Virchows triad
The appearance of thrombi depends on:
- Underlying cause
- Location
- Composition
What is the Virchows triad?
implicates three contributing factors in the formation of thrombosis:
1. Venous stasis
2. Vascular injury
3. Hypercoagulability
What is meant by Venous stasis?
is a condition in which veins have problems moving blood back to the heart
Alterations in the blood flow, typically seen in large and deep veins
What is meant by Vascular injury?
injury to a blood vessel:
1. an artery, which carries blood to an extremity
OR
2.an organ
OR
3. a vein, which returns blood to the heart
What is meant by Hypercoagulability?
also known as thrombophilia.
It is a medical condition characterized by an increased tendency for the blood to form clots
Name the types of thrombus, which is formed by origin:
1. White/pale thrombus
2. Red thrombus
3. Hyalin thrombus
What is a white thrombus?
White thrombi are smaller and associated with fibrin infiltration
What is red thrombus?
Red thrombi are associated with red blood cell infiltration
What is hyalin thrombus?
Happens due to shock. They are small thrombi in the small vessels in the terminal circulatory bed
Name the two different types of thrombi:
Mural
Occlusive
What is mural thrombus?
They are thrombi that attach to the wall of a blood vessel and cardiac chamber. Mostly a white thrombus
What is occlusive thrombus?
The thrombi closes the entire blood vessel. Mostly a red thrombus
What is the outcome of a thrombosis?
Several outcomes!
1.Can heal on its own, and we see no consequences and no major vessels are affected.
2. Can lead to organ failure or/and sudden death
3. We can see local or systemic circulatory disturbance by stenosis or obturation
What is the fate of a thrombosis?
Scar tissue will replace the area
We can see calcification
We can get thrombo-embolism
If a calcification happens, it is called what?
In arteries: Arteriolith
In veins: Phlebolith
What is a thrombo-embolism?
Pieces detaching from the thrombus and is being carried by the circulation
What is an embolism?
An embolism is an obstruction or blockage in a blood vessel.
Most often, it starts as a blood clot from elsewhere that breaks off and travels through your bloodstream. When a blood clot or another substance becomes an obstacle, it’s an embolism. This keeps blood from moving through a blood vessel and reaching tissues or organs.
Give examples of what a embolus/embolism can be?
Solid mass
Gas bubble
Fat droplets
Tumour cells
What can cause a embolism?
Trauma
Sudden movements
Inflammation
What is the outcome of an embolism?
the kidneys are typically affected.
Locally the embolism can cause infarct
They can cause metastasis of pathogens
Sudden death if the affected area is the lungs or brain
what is the difference between thrombosis and embolism?
Thrombosis happens when a blood clot, or thrombus, grows in blood vessels. This can reduce blood flow. An embolus is any foreign material that travels within the body. If it becomes stuck and severely blocks the flow of blood, the issue is called an embolism.
