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

to embolize

1 8.8
To block a blood vessel by sending small particles into it to stop blood flow
  • verb
  • /ˈɛmbəˌlaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : embolar
  • To prevent further complications, the surgeon is planning to embolize the tumor's blood supply.

Examples

  • The lesion was embolized via a femoral artery approach, and the patient again underwent surgery.

    Academic text (2003)

  • The left distal internal maxillary artery was then embolized with Gelfoam pledgets.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The doctor decided to embolize the blocked artery to restore proper blood flow.

  • During the procedure, they will embolize any vessels that are causing excessive bleeding.

Synonyms

to ligate
vsto embolize
  • Specialized
3 8.4

To tie a blood vessel to stop bleeding

block a vessel from inside by causing or placing an internal clot

Antonyms

to unblock
3 3.1

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

How Blocked

to embolize
  • Specialized
1 8.8
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, meaning 'a plug' that stops blood flow, and doctors use this idea when they intentionally 'plug' a vessel. So to embolize (as a procedure) is to cause a vessel to be blocked by a plug, often to stop bleeding.