Definition

Noun: A surgical procedure to remove a blood clot (thrombus) from inside a blood vessel. This is a specific type of surgery performed to restore normal blood flow.

Usage

Thrombectomy is a medical term used primarily in clinical and healthcare contexts. It refers to the mechanical removal of a clot. - The procedure is often named more specifically based on the location of the clot, such as mechanical thrombectomy or pulmonary thrombectomy. - It is typically performed as an emergency or urgent intervention.

Examples

• The patient underwent an emergency thrombectomy to remove the clot blocking the artery in his brain.
• Advances in thrombectomy techniques have improved outcomes for stroke patients.
• The decision to perform a thrombectomy depends on the size and location of the thrombus.

Advanced Usage

• Mechanical thrombectomy: A specific type of thrombectomy where a device is used to physically break up or remove the clot, often guided by imaging.
• Pharmacomechanical thrombectomy: A procedure that combines clot-dissolving drugs (pharmacological agents) with mechanical removal.

Variants and Related Words

• Thrombus (noun): The blood clot itself that is removed during a thrombectomy.
• Thrombolysis (noun): The process of breaking down a blood clot using medication, which is a different, non-surgical treatment.
• Embolectomy (noun): A similar surgical procedure to remove an embolus (a clot that has traveled from another location).

Synonyms

• Clot removal surgery (this is a descriptive synonym, not a standard medical term).
• Surgical clot extraction.

Notes

Thrombectomy is a compound noun formed from thrombo- (relating to a clot) and -ectomy (surgical removal). It is not typically used in idioms or phrasal verbs due to its highly technical nature.

Noun

1. surgical removal of a blood clot (thrombus) from a blood vessel