Embolism

An embolism occurs when an object (the embolus), such as a blood clot, or an air bubble, migrates from one part of the body (through circulation) and causes a blockage (occlusion) of a blood vessel in another part of the body.

The body uses blood to transport oxygen around the body. All of the body's tissues and organs need oxygen in order to function properly. If an embolism blocks the blood supply to a major organ, such as the lungs, brain, or heart, the organ will begin to fail.

Embolism can be classified based on the embolic material:

• Thromboembolism: embolism of thrombus or blood clot.
• Cholesterol embolism: embolism of cholesterol.
• Fat embolism: embolism of fat droplets.
• Air embolism (also known as a gas embolism) – embolism of air bubbles.
• Septic embolism: embolism of pus-containing bacteria.
• Tissue embolism: embolism of small fragments of tissue.
• Foreign body embolism: embolism of foreign materials such as talc and other small objects.