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'Thrombosis' is the formation of a clot or thrombus inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. 'Thromboembolism' is a general term describing both thrombosis and its main complication which is embolisation.

Contents

Causes

Types/classification

Embolisation

See also

Causes

Classically, thrombosis is caused by abnormalities in one or more of the following (Virchow's triad):

★ The composition of the blood

★ Quality of the vessel wall

★ Nature of the blood flow
The formation of a thrombus is usually caused by an injury to the vessel's wall, either by trauma or infection, and by the slowing or stagnation of blood flow past the point of injury. High altitude has also been known to induce thrombosis [1]. Occasionally, abnormalities in coagulation are to blame.
Intravascular coagulation follows, forming a structureless mass of red blood cells, leukocytes, and fibrin.

Types/classification

There are two distinct forms of thrombosis:

★ Venous thrombosis

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★ Deep venous thrombosis (with or without pulmonary embolism; together classified as 'venous thromboembolism'/VTE)

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★ Portal vein thrombosis

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★ Renal vein thrombosis

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★ hepatic vein thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome)

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★ Paget-Schroetter disease (upper extremity vein)

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★ Thoracic outlet syndrome (the cause of most Subclavian Vein Thrombosis unrelated to trauma)

★ Arterial thrombosis

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★ Stroke (either thrombotic or embolic)

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★ Myocardial infarction (usually coronary thrombosis due to rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque)

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★ Thoracic outlet syndrome (may precipitate arterial thrombosis as well as venous)

Embolisation

If a bacterial infection is present at the site of thrombosis, the thrombus may break down, spreading particles of infected material throughout the circulatory system (pyemia, septic embolus) and setting up metastatic abscesses wherever they come to rest. Without an infection, the thrombus may become detached and enter circulation as an embolus, finally lodging in and completely obstructing a blood vessel (an infarction). The effects of an infarction depend on where it occurs.
Most thrombi, however, become organized into fibrous tissue, and the thrombosed vessel is gradually recanalized.

See also

★ Anticoagulants