Blood Clots From Leg Injuries

Blood clots are a natural part of the body's healing process. They prevent you from bleeding out, allow broken bones to heal, and help you repair broken blood vessels. Frustratingly, though, if a blood clot grows too large or does not dissolve properly, it can cause serious health problems like deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Even minor leg injuries can increase your risk of these ailments.

When you suffer from an injury, special cells in the blood called platelets form the initial patch. Platelets then release chemicals that summon other clotting factors, such as a strong protein called fibrin. After the body has had a chance to heal whatever damage occurred, it is supposed to naturally dissolve the clot.

Sometimes, though, a clot may remain in your body without getting dissolved. This is especially a risk after leg injuries that prevent you from moving your legs very well, such as a broken bone. Movement helps dissolve the clot, so if your leg is stuck in a cast or if you are wheelchair-bound, you may not be able to help the clot dissolve. If it remains in your leg, it can cause a condition called deep vein thrombosis, where it blocks the blood supply to your leg.

The more frightening risk, however, is a pulmonary embolism. If the clot breaks free from your leg, it can get pumped to the lungs, where millions of microscopic blood vessels exchange carbon dioxide waste for fresh oxygen. Because the clot clogs the vessels in a portion of the lungs, this affected area of the lung tissue can die during a pulmonary embolism.

Frighteningly, recent studies have found that even minor injuries such as ankle sprains can increase your chances of dangerous blood clots. A study performed in the Netherlands found that over 11% of patients diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism had suffered a leg injury in the previous three months.

Frustratingly, leg injuries are common, and they can occur in anything from car accidents to slips and falls. If your leg injury is the result of another person or party's negligence, you should fight back against this recklessness. To discuss your case, contact an experienced Baltimore injury attorney from Belsky, Weinberg & Horowitz, LLC, today.