Diagnosis
If the physician suspects a paradoxical embolism, the patient’s medical history is examined first. It is important to know whether there is an increased risk of embolism in the patient and whether he is taking medication. This is followed by a physical examination.
It is checked whether pain occurs in certain areas of the body, whether the skin is pale in these areas and whether this region is cooler than the rest of the body. In addition, the diagnosis is made by means of ultrasound, Doppler sonography or angiography (imaging of blood vessels). In order to make a reliable diagnosis of a paradoxical embolism, a contrast medium is injected into an arm vein.
This contrast medium flows through the vein to the right atrium. The coloration shows whether it continues to flow into the pulmonary circulation or directly into the left atrium. If it flows into the left atrium, the doctor can diagnose a paradoxical embolism because an artery has been blocked.
Duration and prognosis
In the case of a paradoxical embolism, the duration and prognosis depends heavily on how quickly one calls an emergency doctor and then how quickly one is treated in hospital. The faster the better! This is the decisive factor in determining whether or not tissue in the affected areas has already died due to the undersupply of blood.
Sometimes the surrounding vessels compensate for the deficiency, but not in the case of large vessels. After a severe paradoxical embolism, the affected persons have to go to rehabilitation facilities where they can recover with the help of occupational therapy or physiotherapy. This stay can last several weeks, depending on the circumstances.
In general, if one has already had a paradoxical embolism, it is just as possible to have a “normal” embolism. For this reason, it is important to take prophylactic measures to prevent embolism.
