CLASSIFICATION
PHYSICAL NATURE OF THE EMBOLI:
1. SOLID: THROMBOEMBOLI , ATHEROMATOUS MATERIAL,
TUMOREMBOLI, TISSUE FRAGMENTS, BACTERIAL
CLUMPS OR PARASITES, FOREIGN BODIES.
2. LIQUID: FAT, BONE MARROW AND AMNIOTIC FLUID.
3. GASEOUS: AIR OR OTHER GASES.
WHETHER INFECTED OR NOT:
1. BLAND: STERILE.
2. SEPTIC: INFECTED.
SOURCE: THE EMBOLI MAY BE ENDOGENOUS (FORM WITHIN
THE BODY) OR EXOGENOUS (INTRODUCED FROM OUTSIDE).
1. CARDIAC EMBOLI: USUALLY THEY ARISE FROM LEFT SIDE
OF THE HEART. E.G:-VEGETATIONS ON THE VALVES IN
INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS.
2. VASCULAR EMBOLI:
3. ARTERIAL EMBOLI (E.G:-ATHEROMATOUS PLAQUE,
ANEURYSMS).
4. VENOUSEMBOLI(E.G:-DEEPVEINTHROMBUS, TUMOR
EMBOLI).
5. LYMPHATIC EMBOLI (E.G:-TUMOREMBOLI).
RETROGRADE EMBOLI
EMBOLI, WHICH TRAVEL AGAINST THE FLOW OF BLOOD ARE
KNOWN AS RETROGRADE EMBOLI.
EXAMPLE, PROSTATIC CARCINOMA METASTASIS TO THE SPINE .
PULMONARY THROMBOEMBOLISM
•MOST FATAL FORM OF VENOUS EMBOLISM IN WHICH THERE IS
OCCLUSION OF THE PULMONARY ARTERIAL TREE.
•MORE THAN 95% OF THE CASES –VENOUS EMBOLI ORIGINATE –DVT
OF LOWERLIMB.
•THEY ARE CARRIED THROUGH LARGER CHANNELS & USUALLY PASS
THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE OF HEART INTO THE PULMONARY
VASCULATURE.
THE EFFECTS OF PE DEPEND ON:
•SIZE OF THE EMBOLI
•PRESENCE OF PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF PULMONARY
CONGESTION AT THE TIME OF IMPACTION.
SYSTEMIC THROMBOEMBOLISM
EMBOLI THAT TRAVELS THROUGH THE ARTERIAL
CIRCULATION .
THEY ORIGINATE IN THE LEFT HEART / AORTA / LARGE
ARTERIES & ARE CARRIED BY THEIR ARTERIAL BLOOD
INTO VARIOUS ORGANS SUCH AS BRAIN, KIDNEY &
SPLEEN.
EXAMPLE :
MURAL THROMBI IN THE HEART
CHAMBERS IN INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS
COMPLICATION : INFARCTION
EMBOLUS
Pulmonary
artery
Pulmonary
vein
Left
atrium
Right
atrium
Right
ventricle
Left
ventricle
The end of a thrombus
can break free, forming
an embolus that
circulates in the blood
until it becomes lodged
in a vessel.
Emboli from the veins of
the legs, e.g. the femoral
vein, return to the heart
via the venous system
and are then ejected from
the heart at high pressure
into the lung.
FAT & MARROW EMBOLISM
•FRACTURE OF LONG BONES, SOFT TISSUE TRAUMA ,BURNS
AIR EMBOLISM
•AIR / GAS EMBOLUS GAIN ENTRY INTO THE CIRCULATION
DURING DELIVERY OR ABORTION
INJURY TO THE LUNG OR CHEST WALL
INJURY TO A LARGE NECK VEIN
DURING BLOOD / FLUID INFUSION
•MORE THAN 100 CC OF AIR.
.
BENDS–PAINFUL CONDITION IN SKELETAL MUSCLES AND JOINTS.
CHOKES–RESPIRATORY DISTRESS
PUL.EDEMA,H’GE, EMPHYSEMA,ATELECTASIS
TREATMENT IN HIGH PRESSURE CHAMBER.
CAISSON DISEASE [CHRONIC FORM]
FOCI OF ISCHEMIC NECROSIS DUE TO GAS EMBOLI IN SKELETAL MUSCLE, FEMORAL HEAD, TIBIA,
HUMERUS