embolus
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thumb|Illustration depicting an embolism within the bloodstream, and lodging at a site of vascular narrowing due to plaque An embolus (; : emboli; from the Greek ἔμβολος "wedge", "plug") is an unattached mass that travels through the bloodstream and is capable of creating blockages. When an embolus occludes a blood vessel, it is called an embolism or embolic event. There are a number of different types of emboli, including blood clots, cholesterol plaque or crystals, fat globules, gas bubbles, and foreign bodies, which can result in different types of embolisms.
~7 min read
Article
6 sectionsContents
- Nomenclature
- Classification by substance
- Clinical significance
- History
- See also
- References
thumb|Illustration depicting an embolism within the bloodstream, and lodging at a site of vascular narrowing due to plaque An embolus (; : emboli; from the Greek ἔμβολος "wedge", "plug") is an unattached mass that travels through the bloodstream and is capable of creating blockages. When an embolus occludes a blood vessel, it is called an embolism or embolic event. There are a number of different types of emboli, including blood clots, cholesterol plaque or crystals, fat globules, gas bubbles, and foreign bodies, which can result in different types of embolisms.
The term is distinct from embolism and thromboembolism, which may be consequences of an embolus, as discussed below.