embolus

Definition of embolus

em-bol-us - lodging of a blockage-causing material within a blood vessel (cast within); An embolus is any detached solid, liquid, or gaseous material (most commonly thrombus fragment, fat globule, air bubble, cholesterol crystal, amniotic debris, or septic vegetation) circulating freely in blood/lymph until lodging in narrower vasculature, causing downstream ischemia/infarction; distinct from thrombus (fixed clot at origin site). see also: thromb-us

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Etymology of embolus

greek • Origin: Greek émbolos (ἔμβολος) = “wedge, plug, stopper, piston,” from embállein = “to throw/insert in” (en- “in” + bállein “to throw”). • Coined: 1848 by Rudolf Virchow distinguishing mobile emboli from fixed thrombi. • Pronunciation: /ˈɛmbələs/ (“EM-buh-luss”).

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DERIVATIONS of embolus

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Query functionality

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Types of Emboli

Type	Composition/Source	Destination/Consequence
Thromboembolus	Clot fragment (DVT, AFib mural thrombus)	Pulmonary embolism (PE), stroke, limb ischemia.[1]
Fat embolus	Marrow/bone fat (long bone fx)	Cerebral fat embolism syndrome, ARDS.[1]
Air/gas embolus	IV air, surgery, decompression	Coronary/pulmonary occlusion (paradoxical via PFO).[1]
Septic embolus	Infected vegetation (endocarditis)	abscesses, mycotic aneurysm.[1]
Cholesterol embolus	Atheroma plaque (catheterization)	Blue toe syndrome, renal failure.[1]
Amniotic	Fetal debris (placental abruption)	DIC, maternal collapse.[9]
Tumor embolus	Malignant cells	metastasis.[1]

Coding Context

ICD-10-CM:[10]

Code	Description
I26.9	Pulmonary embolism w/o acute cor pulmonale.
I74.9	Arterial embolism/thrombosis (specify site).
O88.1	Amniotic embolism.
T82.0	Air embolism post vascular procedure.

ICD-10-PCS: 03L00DZ - Occlusion pulmonary artery intraluminal device.

Related Terms

• Thrombus: Attached clot (vs. mobile embolus).
• Embolism: Consequence of embolus occlusion.
• Thromboembolism: Clot-derived embolus (most common).
• Paradoxical embolism: Venous embolus → systemic via PFO/ASD.

Pathophysiology:
Embolus lodges → stasis → infarction (wedge infarct lung, pale MI heart, hemorrhagic stroke).

Risk factors (Virchow’s triad): Stasis (immobility, HF), endothelial injury (trauma, catheters), hypercoagulability (cancer, pregnancy, thrombophilia).

Clinical Details

Saddle embolus: Bifurcation occlusion (aortic/pulmonary).
Diagnostic: CT-PA (PE gold standard), V/Q scan, echo (RV strain).
Prevention: LMWH, IVC filter (DVT), DOACs.

Prognosis: PE mortality 15-30% untreated; 2-8% treated.

One-Sentence Summary
Embolus (Greek émbolos “plug,” Virchow 1848), a mobile intravascular mass (thrombus > fat > air), lodges distally causing embolism (I26.9 PE, I74.9 arterial) via Virchow’s triad, treatable by thrombolysis/anticoagulation.

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