Embolism

What is it? An embolism is a blocked artery caused by a foreign body, usually a blood clot or an air bubble.

Two of the most serious conditions caused by an embolism are stroke – when the blood supply to the brain is cut off – and pulmonary embolism, when the artery that carries blood from the heart to the lungs is blocked. What are the symptoms?

The symptoms depend on where the embolism occurs.

In a stroke, they include drooping of the face, weakness or numbness in one arm, and slurred speech.

In pulmonary embolism, there’s a sharp, stabbing chest pain, shortness of breath, feeling faint or passing out.

What are the causes?

■ Blood clot A clot can get stuck and block the blood flow to an organ or a limb.

■ Fat A bone fracture can lead to fat particles within the bone being released into the bloodstream.

■ Air Embolisms can also occur if air bubbles or other gases enter the bloodstream. It’s a particular concern for scuba divers – if they swim to the surface too quickly, the change in pressure can cause nitrogen bubbles to form in their bloodstream and become trapped. It’s known as the “bends”. ■ Cholesterol Small pieces of cholesterol can sometimes break away from the side of a furred-up blood vessel, resulting in an embolism. ■ Amniotic fluid In rare instances, amniotic fluid, which surrounds a baby inside the womb, can leak into the mother’s blood vessels during labour, causing a blockage.

What’s the treatment?

During an embolectomy, the surgeon makes a cut in the affected artery and sucks out the foreign body.

Anticoagulant medication can help stop further clots forming.

Embolisms caused by air bubbles are usually treated in a special chamber to reduce their size.