embolus
/ˈɛmbələs
/noun (plural emboli /ˈɛmbəlʌɪ/ /iː/)
A blood clot, air bubble, piece of fatty deposit, or other object which has been carried in the bloodstream to lodge in a vessel and cause an embolism.Leg clots with pulmonary emboli and bed sores must be prevented....
- If the embolus reaches a blood vessel it cannot flow through, a blockage occurs.
- The embolus is carried in the blood stream until it gets stuck in a place where it forms a blockage.
Derivatives
embolic
/ adjective ...- The differential diagnosis for the lesion included thrombotic or embolic causes.
- Seven months after the lung tumor was resected, the patient developed a left temporoparietal infarction that resulted from embolic occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery secondary to atrial fibrillation.
- A small-profile embolic protection filter is designed to allow the capture and removal of dislodged embolic material during cardiovascular interventions.
Origin
Mid 17th century (denoting something inserted or moving within another, specifically the plunger of a syringe): from Latin, literally 'piston', from Greek embolos 'peg, stopper'. The current sense dates from the mid 19th century.