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Glite Dictionary
🩸 To block (naturally) 🩸 To block (on purpose)
to embolize

to embolize

1 9.2
To have a blood clot travel and block a blood vessel
  • verb
  • /ˈɛmbəˌlaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : embolar
  • In our case, the patient was taken up for surgery after localization on X-ray and CT scan because needles have a high propensity to embolize, and the intramyocardial needle was suspected to be in the apex of the heart.

Examples

  • They can embolize at any moment, and emergency treatment is required, especially in view of their documented dismal prognosis.

    Academic text (2007)

  • If a small piece of plaque breaks off, it may embolize and block a blood vessel in the brain.

  • Other tumors can embolize to the lung, but choriocarcinoma is unusual for several reasons shown by the cases described.

    Academic text (1992)

  • And there always is a concern that the clot basically can break up and embolize downstream in the smaller pieces of it can go downstream.

  • But the embolized branches revascularized quickly, and the second lesion became apparent within 4 months.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Gelfoam pledgets were again used to embolize the proximal left facial artery, occluding it as well as the takeoff of the ascending palatine artery.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The doctor explained that if the blood clot were to embolize, it could lead to serious complications.

  • In rare cases, a tumor can embolize into the lungs, creating severe respiratory issues.

Synonyms

to thrombose
vsto embolize
  • Specialized
1 9.8

To stop blood flow when a blood clot blocks a vessel

is caused by a clot or particle that travels and blocks the vessel

Antonyms

to unblock
3 3.1

Remove something that stops a pipe, machine, or blood vessel from working

How Blocked

to embolize
  • Specialized
1 9.2
to occlude
  • Specialized
5 8.4

Surface Forms

embolize infinitive
embolise infinitive
embolized past
embolised past
embolized past participle
embolised past participle
embolizing present participle
embolising present participle
embolizes third person singular
embolises third person singular

Morphology

embolize = embolus (transparent) = embolus + ize

The verb is formed by the regular and productive suffix '-ize' on the noun 'embolus', so the meaning follows the expected causative/relational pattern though it is a medical term.

Etymology

Embolize comes from the medical word embolus, which means 'a plug' that can travel in the blood and 'block' a vessel. So to embolize is to become blocked by such a moving plug, which matches the idea of a clot causing a sudden blockage.