What is thrombosis? Depending on the location of the thrombus or blood clot, thrombosis may include pain and warmth in the area of the clot, or chest pain and difficulty breathing if the clot is near the lungs, among other symptoms. Thrombosis occurs when a blood clot obstructs the blood vessels. There are two types …

What are hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoid symptoms may usually go away with diet and lifestyle modifications. You must, however, seek immediate medical care if your symptoms do not go away in a week. Hemorrhoids are inflamed or swollen veins near the anus (external hemorrhoids) or in the lower rectum (internal hemorrhoids). If you have hemorrhoids, you might feel some of the following …

What is heat rash? If you experience a heat rash and it goes away after showering and thoroughly drying your skin, you may not need to see a doctor. If you live in a hot and humid climate or have vacationed in one, you know that you can sweat a lot. Sweating is the body’s mechanism for cooling down — …

Once a stent is placed in a carotid artery, the stent permanently stays inside the artery. Once placed, the stent permanently stays inside the artery. There is a 2-3% risk of repeat narrowing if the stent also gets blocked in the future. This usually happens within the first 6-9 months. If this happens, the stent will be replaced. The carotid …

What is a pulmonary angiography? A pulmonary angiography detects problems in the blood flow of the pulmonary vessels. The results of the procedure are shown as a moving X-ray known as a pulmonary angiogram. Doctors need to insert a catheter into your arm or groin and thread it through your veins to your heart as part of the procedure. Pulmonary …

A lumbar puncture (LP) or spinal tap involves inserting a hollow needle near the spinal cord to collect a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and diagnose meningitis, hemorrhage, multiple sclerosis, and tumors. A lumbar puncture (LP) is also called a spinal tap. It involves the insertion of a hollow needle into the space (called subarachnoid space) around the spinal …

How often does breast cancer spread to lymph nodes? About 30% of breast cancers metastasize to nearby blood vessels and lymph nodes, a process called lymphovascular invasion. A large-scale study conducted in China analyzed 19 smaller studies involving an overall of 4215 patients with breast cancer. Lymphovascular invasion was noted in 29.56% of patients. This implies that lymphovascular invasion is …

What is a myocardial perfusion scan? A mycocardial perfusion scan is an imaging study that shows how well blood flows through the heart muscle. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of cardiac imaging with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is between 44 percent and 70 percent depending on the blood vessels involved. In the United States, one person dies every 36 …

What is Lupkynis (voclosporin), and how is it used? Lupkynis is a prescription medicine used with other medicines to treat adults with active lupus nephritis. Lupkynis should not be taken with a medicine called cyclophosphamide. Talk with your healthcare provider if you are not sure if you take this medicine. How does Lupkynis work? Lupkynis is a calcineurin-inhibitor immunosuppressant. The …

What is plasmapheresis? Plasmapheresis treats autoimmune diseases, toxins in the blood, neurological diseases, and very high levels of cholesterol that don't lower with medications or dietary changes. Plasmapheresis removes antibodies against the person's own body cells and tissues (autoantibodies) from the blood. Autoantibodies are proteins found in the plasma. They mistakenly attack the body's own tissues. In some cases, this …