Pulmonary Embolism Support Group
By far the most common form of pulmonary embolism is a thromboembolism, which occurs when a blood clot, generally a venous thrombus, becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolizes to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, pain during breathing, and more rarely circulatory instability and death.
Starting over with a different subject heading.
My stream-of-consciousness postings can very easily lead to confusion, both mine and others. (grin)
First----- I can't remember what the podiatrist called the mass behind my knee but I'm pretty sure it was lipoma, not Baker's cyst.
Second---- to make it clear, I'd never depend upon a podiatrist to advise me on what to do about DVT etc. But I'm pretty sure they know about lipomas behind the knees.
Then----still trying to post something that can't be misunderstood. I may have given the impression that I thought the lipoma (mass) was IN a vein. I'm sorry if I did.
My thoughts are ----- a mass (lipoma etc) may IMPINGE upon the veins and arteries in that area.
Visualize floating a ping pong ball in a bowl of water. Press very gently on the ball and submerge it just a little. Perhaps that's what's going on with the lipoma.
Simpe physics dictates displacement. [Displacement is what happens when one object takes the space that another object had occupied.]
So---- when there's even a slight displacement going on I imagine that everything behind and under it can also be affected/impinged/pushed aside. Muscles, nerves, veins, arteries.
Here are a few quotes from different sites:
Lipomas can be subcutaneous or deep seated (intramuscular or within popliteal fossa).
From:
JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND THROMBOLYSIS
Volume 30, Number 1, 109-111, DOI: 10.1007/s11239-009-0395-2
Abstract
We report a case of lipoma in the right infraclavicular and axillary area compressing subclavian vein thereby presenting with upper extremity deep venous thrombosis
(UEDVT) and persistent symptoms of venous congestion.
"Popliteal Artery/Vein
As the femoral artery reaches the space behind the knee (known as the "popliteal fossa"), it becomes the popliteal artery. Branches of this artery supply blood to the knee joint and to muscles in the thigh and calf. Many of its branches also join the connecting nerve network of the knee to help to provide alternative routes in the case of artery obstruction.
The corresponding popliteal vein parallels the artery as it carries blood back to the heart."
"Saphenous Veins
The superficial veins of the foot and leg interconnect to form a complex network below the skin. These vessels drain into two major trunks: the small and great saphenous veins.
The "small saphenous vein" begins on the lateral portion of the foot and passes upward, rising along the back of the calf, enters the popliteal fossa (a depression in the bone behind the knee) to join the popliteal vein. The "great saphenous vein," which is the longest vein in the body, begins on the medial side of the foot.
It rises to extend up along the inner side of the leg and penetrates deep into the thigh just below the inguinal ligament in the lower abdomen, where it joins the femoral vein. Near its distant end, it receives vessels that drain the upper thigh, groin, and lower abdominal wall. The femoral and the great saphenous veins merge into the external iliac vein."
http://www.innerbody.com/image/cardov.html
**************************
"When a blood clot forms in a vein, it is called a thrombosis. In principle there are three reasons for developing a thrombosis;
1. The blood is abnormal and more likely to clot (thick blood)
2. The vein lining is abnormal, and doesn't stop clotting from occurring (abnormal vein)
3. The flow of the blood through the veins is reduced (stagnant blood clots)."
[My note---- could the mass affect the flow of blood through the veins? But I'm sure the first 2 items are much more common.]
My stream-of-consciousness postings can very easily lead to confusion, both mine and others. (grin)
First----- I can't remember what the podiatrist called the mass behind my knee but I'm pretty sure it was lipoma, not Baker's cyst.
Second---- to make it clear, I'd never depend upon a podiatrist to advise me on what to do about DVT etc. But I'm pretty sure they know about lipomas behind the knees.
Then----still trying to post something that can't be misunderstood. I may have given the impression that I thought the lipoma (mass) was IN a vein. I'm sorry if I did.
My thoughts are ----- a mass (lipoma etc) may IMPINGE upon the veins and arteries in that area.
Visualize floating a ping pong ball in a bowl of water. Press very gently on the ball and submerge it just a little. Perhaps that's what's going on with the lipoma.
Simpe physics dictates displacement. [Displacement is what happens when one object takes the space that another object had occupied.]
So---- when there's even a slight displacement going on I imagine that everything behind and under it can also be affected/impinged/pushed aside. Muscles, nerves, veins, arteries.
Here are a few quotes from different sites:
Lipomas can be subcutaneous or deep seated (intramuscular or within popliteal fossa).
From:
JOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND THROMBOLYSIS
Volume 30, Number 1, 109-111, DOI: 10.1007/s11239-009-0395-2
Abstract
We report a case of lipoma in the right infraclavicular and axillary area compressing subclavian vein thereby presenting with upper extremity deep venous thrombosis
(UEDVT) and persistent symptoms of venous congestion.
"Popliteal Artery/Vein
As the femoral artery reaches the space behind the knee (known as the "popliteal fossa"), it becomes the popliteal artery. Branches of this artery supply blood to the knee joint and to muscles in the thigh and calf. Many of its branches also join the connecting nerve network of the knee to help to provide alternative routes in the case of artery obstruction.
The corresponding popliteal vein parallels the artery as it carries blood back to the heart."
"Saphenous Veins
The superficial veins of the foot and leg interconnect to form a complex network below the skin. These vessels drain into two major trunks: the small and great saphenous veins.
The "small saphenous vein" begins on the lateral portion of the foot and passes upward, rising along the back of the calf, enters the popliteal fossa (a depression in the bone behind the knee) to join the popliteal vein. The "great saphenous vein," which is the longest vein in the body, begins on the medial side of the foot.
It rises to extend up along the inner side of the leg and penetrates deep into the thigh just below the inguinal ligament in the lower abdomen, where it joins the femoral vein. Near its distant end, it receives vessels that drain the upper thigh, groin, and lower abdominal wall. The femoral and the great saphenous veins merge into the external iliac vein."
http://www.innerbody.com/image/cardov.html
**************************
"When a blood clot forms in a vein, it is called a thrombosis. In principle there are three reasons for developing a thrombosis;
1. The blood is abnormal and more likely to clot (thick blood)
2. The vein lining is abnormal, and doesn't stop clotting from occurring (abnormal vein)
3. The flow of the blood through the veins is reduced (stagnant blood clots)."
[My note---- could the mass affect the flow of blood through the veins? But I'm sure the first 2 items are much more common.]
When first diagnosed, I just left it there figuring why have surgery if I didn't really need it. It wasn't obvious... not like a tennis ball shooting off my neck or anything, so I left it alone. Within a year, it had more than doubled in size. It was at that point that I could feel more pressure in the surrounding areas of my neck, more difficulty swallowing, etc. The doctor was not convinced the lipoma was the problem, but we removed it anyway because it was so large. Sure enough, the other sympytoms disappeared afterwards.
I would think any kind of mass pressing in the right (or wrong) areas would possibly affect things. Just my experience anyway.
You said:
****The doctor was not convinced the lipoma was the problem, but we removed it anyway because it was so large. Sure enough, the other sympytoms disappeared afterwards.****
Yeah, doctors 'aren't convinced' about anything that isn't in the first sentence or two in any journal conclusion page!!!! Just look at the docs that don't think a lot of people get fatigued with warfarin/C. !!!!!