Doctors: Clinton Should Recover Fully From Clot

WebMD Medical News By Salynn Boyles Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD Jan. 2, 2013 — Medical experts say Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is extremely lucky that her medical team found the blood clot they are now treating with blood thinners. The rare clot in a vein between her brain and skull was discovered during a follow-up exam Sunday, weeks after she reportedly sustained a concussion following a fall in her home during a bout of stomach flu. The experts agreed that Clinton’s clot could have threatened her life if it had been missed during the routine exam. Q & A Where is Secretary Clinton’s blood clot exactly? The clot is in a vein between her brain and skull behind her right ear. The bleeding was reportedly contained within the vein, and there was no bleeding within the brain, which could have led to stroke or brain damage. So why was the clot so dangerous if left untreated? If the clot had grown large enough to cause a major blockage of blood, it could have led to serious swelling and even death, says Keith Black, MD, who is head of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “I think Secretary Clinton is very lucky that this clot was caught early and treated early,” he says. How rare are these blood clots? Blood clots occurring in the legs are very common, especially among older people, but clots occurring in the head are pretty rare, says Jack Ansell, MD, who chairs the Department of Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital ...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: WebMD News Source Type: news