A thrombus ruptured

Quite often you can hear that the cause of death of a man served as a severed thrombus. Let's try to figure out what the phrase "torn off" means, and why this phenomenon is so dangerous.

Causes of clot formation

A thrombus is a blood clot that forms in the blood vessels or cavity of the heart. Most often, thrombi form due to damage to the vessel's shell, delayed circulation and increased blood coagulability. In most cases deep veins of the lower extremities are subject to thrombosis.

Also, the formation of blood clots can be a complication after surgery, if the patient stays in a stationary position for a long time.

The causes of thrombosis

Why clots are thrown off at one time or another, but for this two basic conditions are necessary:

  1. Free and fairly fast blood flow. The speed should be sufficient to tear off the thrombus.
  2. Free location of thrombus inside the vessel. Such thrombi are most often formed in the veins of the legs and the heart cavity.

Thrombi formed in small vessels and completely occluding them, in most cases, do not pose a danger to life, since there is no blood flow that can move them from the place of formation. But thrombi that form in large veins or arteries can come off and begin to migrate through the circulatory system, causing blockage of large vessels, pulmonary thromboembolism, stroke or heart attack, and often cause death.

Thrombuses are distinguished, depending on their size and position:

  1. Parietal. It forms on the wall of the vessel, but does not completely block the blood flow.
  2. Occlusive - completely clogging vessel and preventing blood flow.
  3. Flotation - when a blood clot is attached to the wall of the vessel on a thin stalk. This thrombus can easily come off, and most often it is the cause of blockage of the pulmonary artery.
  4. Wandering - a severed thrombus that freely travels with blood.

Symptoms of a severed thrombus

The signs of separation of the thrombus can be very different and depend on which vessel was damaged.

If the thrombus has come off in my head

In case of an artery of the brain, a clot lag can trigger a stroke. In this case, there may be a violation of the symmetry of the face, problems with speech, swallowing food. Also, depending on how seriously the lesion is, there may be a violation of sensitivity, motor activity, paralysis. When the vein that supplies blood to the brain is blocked, neck pain, headaches, and visual impairment are observed.

Coronary artery disease

Myocardial infarction develops, acute pains behind the breastbone are pressing, compressive, baking nature, which can give in the limbs. Forecasts in this situation are generally unfavorable.

Closure of blood clot in the intestine

When blocking the vessels of the intestine, there are pains in the abdomen, and in the future - peritonitis and necrosis of the intestine.

Thrombosis of arteries of the arm or leg

The phenomenon occurs when the thrombus is detached and the blood flow is clogged in the extremities. As a result, the blood flow stops, at first the limb becomes paler and colder than in the normal state, subsequently develops necrosis of tissues and gangrene. The process is not immediate, therefore, limb thrombosis can in principle be treated with surgical methods. When the veins of the extremities are closed (usually the legs), they blush, swell and are very sore.

Pulmonary embolism

It occurs when a severed thrombus, usually from the veins of the lower extremities, reaches the lungs and blocks the lumen of the pulmonary artery, as a result of which the supply of oxygen to the body ceases. Such a lesion usually occurs suddenly, without any preliminary symptoms, and in most cases results in a fatal outcome.