lifesaver methodology for a fatal blood clot
A blood clot is a clump of blood that has changed from a liquid to a gel-like or semisolid state. Clotting is a necessary process that can prevent you from losing too much blood in certain instances, such as when you’re injured or cut.
When a clot forms inside one of your veins, it won’t always dissolve on its own. This can be a very dangerous and even life-threatening situation.
An immobile blood clot generally won’t harm you, but there’s a chance that it could move and become dangerous. If a blood clot breaks free and travels through your veins to your heart and lungs, it can get stuck and prevent blood flow. This is a medical emergency.
Types of blood clots
Your circulatory system is made up of vessels called veins and arteries, which transport blood throughout your body. Blood clots can form in veins or arteries.
When a blood clot occurs in an artery, it’s called an arterial clot. This type of clot causes symptoms immediately and requires emergency treatment. The symptoms of an arterial clot include severe pain, paralysis of parts of the body, or both. It can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
A blood clot that occurs in a vein is called a venous clot. These types of clots may build up more slowly over time, but they can still be life-threatening. The most serious type of venous clot is called deep vein thrombosis.
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT)
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a blood clot develops in one of the primary veins of the pelvis, thigh, or calf, or less frequently the arms, abdomen, and chest.
When a clot forms, it can extend to adjacent areas of the vein, triggering a localized inflammation that may encourage additional blood clot growth.
A clot in a deep vein can also increase the potential for a dangerous complication, pulmonary embolism, in which a clot breaks free, travels through the bloodstream, and lodges in the lungs, where it can cause heart and lung collapse,
The most common place for a blood clot to occur is in your lower leg, says Akram Alashari, MD, a trauma surgeon and critical care physician at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center.
A blood clot in your leg or arm can have various symptoms, including:
- swelling
- pain
- tenderness
- a warm sensation
- reddish discoloration
A blood clot in the heart, or heart attack
A blood clot in the heart causes a heart attack. The heart is a less common location for a blood clot, but it can still happen. A blood clot in the heart could cause your chest to hurt or feel heavy. Lightheadedness and shortness of breath are other potential symptoms.
Severe abdominal pain and swelling could be symptoms of a blood clot somewhere in your abdomen. These could also be symptoms of a stomach virus or food poisoning.
A blood clot in the brain is also known as a stroke. A blood clot in your brain could cause a sudden and severe headache, along with some other symptoms, including sudden difficulty speaking or seeing.
A blood clot that travels to your lungs is called a pulmonary embolism (PE). Symptoms that could be a sign of a PE are:
- sudden shortness of breath that isn’t caused by exercise
- chest pain
- palpitations, or rapid heart rate
- breathing problems
- coughing up blood
Certain risk factors increase your chances of having a blood clot. A recent hospital stay, especially one that’s lengthy or related to a major surgery, increases your risk of a blood clot.
Common factors that can put you at a moderate risk for a blood clot include:
- age, especially if you’re over 65 years old
- lengthy travel, such as any trips that caused you to sit for more than four hours at a time
- bed rest or being sedentary for long periods of time
- obesity
- pregnancy
- a family history of blood clots
- smoking
- cancer
- certain birth control pills
INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY: LIFESAVER TREATMENT FOR BLOOD CLOTS
DVT Thrombolysis:
For patients with symptomatic acute DVT and large clots, a minimally-invasive procedure known as DVT thrombolysis is commonly performed to rapidly reduce symptoms and remove the clot from the deep veins.
DVT thrombolysis involves inserting a small catheter into the leg using ultrasound and x-ray guidance. Clot-dissolving medications as well mechanical devices may be inserted into the catheter and used to remove or reduce the clot. This technique will often uncover one or more areas of narrowing of the vein that caused the blood clot to form. We can treat this with angioplasty (widening the vein), or by inserting a mesh-like tube called a stent to keep the vein open.
Blood clots in the lung (pulmonary embolism, PE):
interventional radiologists perform 2 different forms of treatment, placement of devices (inferior vena cava filters) to capture blood clots before they reach the lung preventing further PE. When there is a massive PE causing collapse an interventional radiologist may use small catheter tubes to break up the blood clot and restore blood flow.
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