Channel: Heart Health
Now Playing: Ultrasound for Blood Clots
Related Articles
- What Is Heart Failure?
- Slideshow: Foods to Save Your Heart
- WebMD Heart Disease Community
- Heart Attack Directory
- Transcript
You are in the WebMD Content Archive for WebMD Video.
WebMD archives all video content after 48 months to ensure our readers can easily find the most timely content.
To locate the most current information on this topic, please use our search box
Reviewed By: Laura Martin,
SOURCES: 2007 Medical Reference from Medstar Television. Abbas Chamsuddin, MD, Interventional Radiologist, The Emory Clinic, Atlanta, GA.
© 1999-2011 Medstar Television
Leonard Horton (HOR-tun) faced a near-death experience not too long ago. He was rushed to the hospital, suffering from severe chest pain.
They found the massive blood clots which I almost lost my left leg, my kidneys were getting ready to shut down and my liver was about to go.
But he was in the right place at the right time. Emory University Hospital had just received the device that would save his life.
From what I understand, I was the first person they've been used on in North America.
Leonard was suffering from deep vein thrombosis. A blood clot forms in the large veins, typically in the lower extremities, like the legs, and then dislodges and moves toward the heart.
This prevents oxygenation of the blood in the lungs and patient can potentially suffocate and die.
Doctors used a new procedure called ultrasound assisted thrombolysis to save Leonard's life. A tiny catheter equipped with an ultrasound wire is threaded to the clot, delivering medicine that dissolves it.
The clot busting medication will melt the clot out and the ultrasound wave form will fragment the clot into smaller pieces that will make it much vulnerable to the clot-busting medication.
The clot dissolves within two to three days. Traditional treatments may take two to three months. Leonard is living proof it works.
Complete recovery. No problems. I go on with the normal life, play with my grandkids, have a good time.
...And stay healthy. For WebMD, I'm Damon Meharg.
Back Pain Test
Exercise for Better Sex
Vinegar for Diabetes
Drink Your Way To Weight Loss
Pre-Diabetes
Gallbladder Basics
Weight Loss Secret Weapon
IBS Trigger Foods
Does Porn Hurt a Relationship?
Male Orgasms: How They Change
Cholesterol-Busting Exercise
What's Your Sleep Personality?
Herpes Vaccine Study
Truth about Passing Gas
Are You Using a Condom Correctly?
Snoring Cure
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Diarrhea Causes and Treatments
Acupuncture for Back Pain
Common Constipation Treatments
Dirty Truth About Hand Washing
4-D Ultrasound
ED Exercise
Sex Advice for Single Women
Cholesterol Guidelines
Diagnosing Yeast Infections
Truth About Coffee
Healing Heel Pain
Snacks for Diabetics
Best Butt Exercises
To perform a video search, please enter a term in the search box located to the right of the video player above.
Not Available.
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.
