Clot retraction

Examples of Clot retraction in the following topics:

• Clot Retraction and Repair

  • Clot retraction is the shrinking of a blood clot facilitated by thrombolytic agents.
  • Then, over the course of the next 24 hours, the clot retracts as tissue healing begins.
  • Clot retraction refers to a regression in size of the blood clot over a number of days.
  • Clot retraction generally occurs within 24 hours of initial clot formation and decreases the size of the clot by 90%.
  • While the clot retracts, the wound begins to heal.

• Fibrinolysis

  • Fibrinolysis is a process of breaking down clots in order to prevent them from growing and becoming problematic.
  • Fibrinolysis is a process that removes clots following hemostasis and clot retraction, preventing uncontrolled thrombosis and embolism.
  • Primary fibrinolysis normally occurs following clot retraction, in which the clot has already condensed considerably in size.
  • Instead, it is incorporated into the clot when it is formed and then activated into plasmin later.
  • Clots may also be prevented or kept from worsening through the use of blood thinners (anticoagulants).

• Blood Plasma

  • It contains proteins and clotting factors, transports nutrients, and removes waste.
  • Clotting proteins are mainly produced in the liver.
  • Twelve proteins known as "clotting factors" participate in the cascade clotting process during endothelial injury.
  • One important clotting factor is fibrinogen.
  • Serum is a term used to describe plasma that has been removed of its clotting factors.

• Overview of Hemostasis

  • Intact blood vessels are central to moderating blood's clotting tendency.
  • Each of the clotting factors has a very specific function.
  • This temporary fibrin clot can form in less than a minute and slows blood flow before platelets attach.
  • Next, platelets in the clot begin to shrink, tightening the clot and drawing together the vessel walls to initiate the process of wound healing.
  • Usually, the whole process of clot formation and tightening takes less than a half hour.

• Hemostasis Disorders

  • The level of factor VIII, another protein involved in clotting, may also be lower than normal.
  • These involve medicine to increase the level of von Willebrand factor in the blood, medicine to prevent the breakdown of clots, medicine to control heavy menstrual bleeding in women, or injection of clotting factor concentrates.
  • Hemophilia is a disease where there is a low levels of, or none, of a blood protein important for clotting, causing an inability to produce blood clots.
  • The opposite of hemophilia, is Factor V Leiden thrombophilia, a disorder of human factor V blood protein that causes a hypercoagulability disorder, or, overactive clotting, resulting in dangerous blood clots.
  • Those that have it are at a slightly higher risk of developing blood clots than those without.

• Platelets

  • Platelets, also called thrombocytes, are membrane-bound cell fragments that are essential for clot formation during wound healing.
  • Platelets are important for the blood clotting process, making them essential for wound healing.
  • The adhesive surface proteins of platelets allow them to accumulate on the fibrin mesh at an injury site to form a platelet plug that clots the blood.
  • The complex process of wound repair can only begin once the clot has stopped bleeding.
  • Thrombosis also occurs when blood is allowed to pool, which causes clotting factors and platelets to form a blood clot even in the absence of an injury.

• Anticoagulants

  • However, they are also the main dietary source of vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting to occur.
  • An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation (clotting) of blood.
  • It works by activating antithrombin III, which blocks thrombin from clotting blood.
  • Heparin can be used in vivo (by injection), and also in vitro to prevent blood or plasma clotting in or on medical devices.
  • Batroxobin is a toxin from snake venom that clots platelet-rich plasma without affecting platelets functions (lyses fibrinogen).

• Coagulation

  • Coagulation is the process by which a blood clot forms to reduce blood loss after damage to a blood vessel.
  • Coagulation is the process by which a blood clot forms to reduce blood loss after damage to a blood vessel.
  • Primary hemostasis refers to platelet plug formation, which forms the primary clot.
  • An embolism is any thrombosis (blood clot)  that breaks off without being dissolved and travels through the bloodstream to another site.
  • Plasmin: generated by proteolytic cleavage of plasminogen, a potent fibrinolytic that degrades fibrin and destroys clots.

• Blood Supply to the Lungs

  • The most serious issue in pulmonary circulation is a pulmonary embolism, which is where a blood clot travels to the lung and causes an infarction of the lung (tissue death from lack of oxygen).
  • These blood clots typically originate in the deep veins of the legs (part of systemic circulation) as a result of blood pooling from injury or immobilization.
  • As the veins of the leg are on their way to the right side of the heart, the clots are less likely to break up before they reach pulmonary circulation.
  • When the clot reaches the pulmonary artery, it obstructs the flow of blood into the lung, which causes the alveoli in the effected lung to die as a result.
  • This results in an increase in aveolar dead space and decreased perfusion, (leading to shortness of breath and chest pain) and can be fatal if not treated in time by fibrinolytics (medications that dissolve the clot).

• Functions of Blood

  • The blood also has the ability to undergo clotting in response to vascular injury such as bleeding.
  • Normally a series of clotting and anti-clotting factors are kept in balance through the blood so that no clotting occurs, but when endothelial cells are injured, the clotting factors are increased and cause blood to clot.
  • Wound healing can only begin after this clotting response occurs.