Thrombosis natural history, complications and prognosis

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

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Associate Editors-in-Chief: Ujjwal Rastogi, MBBS [2]

Complications

A stable thrombus when dislodged from its place is called an Embolus (pleural Emboli). Others are (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.