Understanding What Happens During Thrombolytic Therapy

Your blood vessels, including your arteries, capillaries, and veins, are responsible for transporting blood to every area of your body. Unfortunately, clots can occur within them, which may block the bloodstream. Thrombolytic therapy (TT) is a surgical procedure through which a physician attempts to break apart those clots. This method is used in order to break apart clotting that can result from ischemic strokes, pulmonary embolisms, and even heart attacks.

The clotting is caused by platelets within the blood. These platelets attach to each other and coagulate with other components within the bloodstream. Sometimes, they block the blood from reaching key areas of your body. Other times, they become detached and are carried along the bloodstream into they become lodged somewhere else. If they become lodged within the heart, the organ can sustain damage as the result of being starved of oxygenated blood.

In this article, you’ll learn what to expect when preparing for thrombolytic therapy. We’ll explain how the procedure works and describe possible complications that can occur.

Preparing For The Procedure

The preparation for thrombolytic therapy begins with your physician taking your history and performing a physical exam. Your history should include any medications that you are currently taking because they can affect clotting. Next, your doctor will run a series of tests. The type of tests conducted will depend on where the clot is as well as your current condition.

Typically, patients are asked to avoid eating or drinking twelve hours before TT is performed. In some cases, your vascular surgeon may also recommend not taking your current medications prior to the procedure. Lastly, an angiography is usually done; contrast dye is injected into your veins in order to produce an image of the affected area.

How Thrombolytic Therapy Works

Your doctor injects contrast dye in order to create a map of your arteries, capillaries, and veins. The dye will help identify the location of the clotting. Then, drugs are delivered to the affected area through an IV catheter (that is, directly into the vein) or through a longer catheter that your doctor guides toward the clot. The purpose of the drugs is to break apart the clot.

The vascular surgeon will typically insert the catheter through an access site in your elbow, wrist, or groin. The entire procedure can take several hours and your doctor will continually monitor the breaking apart of the clotted mass.

Potential Complications

Even though thrombolytic therapy is normally a straightforward procedure, complications are common. For example, the access site can begin bleeding, your blood pressure can drop, or you might suffer an allergic reaction to the drugs. One of the most serious complications of TT is bleeding in the brain. Though it only occurs in 1% of cases, it can potentially lead to a stroke.

To be sure, thrombolytic therapy is not a fail safe strategy. That said, despite possible complications, it can be instrumental for eliminating dangerous clots before they can become life-threatening.

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