EMBOLISM
Definition
• Is the process of partial or complete obstruction of some
part of the cardiovascular system by mass carried in the
circulation.
• Embolus- intravascular mass detached from its site of
origin.
Classification
Material Infected Source Flow of blood
Solid Sterile Cardiac Paradoxical
Liquid Infected Arterial Retrograde
Gas Venous
Lymphatic
Types
Type Origin
Systemic Left ventricle
Fat Trauma of bone
Air Obstructive trauma
Decompression sickness Descent drivers
Amniotic fluid Components of amniotic fluid
Atheroembolism Atheromatous plaques
Tumour Tumour fragments
Pulmonary Lower leg veins
Pulmonary embolism
Etio-pathogenesis
1. Large vein from lower legs
2. Stasis of venous blood
3. Hypercoagulable state
4. Saddle embolus
Fat embolism
1. Obstruction of the arterioles and capillaries by fat globules
2. Due to trauma of bone & soft tissue
3. Extensive burns
4. DM
5. Fatty liver
6. Pancreatitis
7. Sickle cell anemia
Morphology
1. Lungs – Hyperemia, Edema ,Petechial
hemorrhage
2. Brain - Petechial hemorrhage
3. Kidney – Reduced GFR
Decompressionsickness
•Special form of gas embolism
•Caisson’s disease, Driver's palsy, Aeroembolism
Amniotic fluidembolism
• Most serious
• Unpredictable
• Unpreventable cause of Maternal mortality.
Morphology
1. Hemorrhage
2. Congestion
3. Edema
4. Right side heart failure
Tumour embolism
• Malignant tumour cells invade the blood vessels
• Clear cell carcinoma of kidney
• Lung carcinoma
• Malignant melanomas
INFARCT
DEFINITION
• Is the process of tissue necrosis Usually coagulative
type from ischemia
• Localized area of necrosis
Etiology
1. Sudden interruption of blood flow
2. Stagnant hypoxia
3. Nonocclusive circulatory insufficiency
Types
Colour Age Infection
Pale (kidney,Heart,Spleen) Recent Infected
Red ( lungs,intestine) Old Sterile
Morphology
1. Wedge shaped
2. Apex pointing towards the occlusion
3. Base on the surface
4. Arterial occlusion-pale
5. Venous occlusion- hemorrhagic
6. Recent infarct – elevated
7. Old infarct - shrunken
1. Coagulative necrosis
2. Brain – liquefactive necrosis
3. Inflammatory reactions
4. Fibrous scar
Infarct - lung
Infarct - kidney
Spleen
Liver
Embolism

Embolism