Pulmonary embolus

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lungs

Pulmonary embolus

Definition:

A pulmonary embolus is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by fat, air, clumped tumor cells, or a blood clot.

Alternative Names:
Venous thrombo-embolism; Lung blood clot; Blood clot - lung; Embolus; Tumor embolus
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

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Pulmonary emboli are most often caused by blood clots in the veins, especially veins in the legs or in the pelvis (hips). More rarely, air bubbles, fat droplets, amniotic fluid, or clumps of parasites or tumor cells may obstruct the pulmonary vessels.

The most common cause of a pulmonary embolism is a blood clot in the veins of the legs, called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Many clear up on their own, though some may cause severe illness or even death.

Risk factors for a pulmonary embolus include:

Prolonged bed rest or inactivity (including long trips in planes, cars, or trains)
Oral contraceptive use
Surgery (especially pelvic surgery)
Childbirth
Massive trauma
Burns
Cancer
Stroke
Heart attack
Heart surgery
Fractures of the hips or femur

Persons with certain clotting disorders may also have a higher risk.