Which term means surgical removal of an embolus?

• A. Embolization
• B. Thrombectomy
• C. Embolectomy
• D. Cardiotomy

Answer: (C)

Removing a traveling blockage from a vessel is called an embolectomy. An embolus is a piece of material—such as a blood clot, fat, air, or other substance—that has broken loose and is moving through the bloodstream to lodge in a vessel. Embolectomy targets that embolus and retrieves it to restore blood flow.

Embolization, in contrast, is about deliberately occluding a vessel to stop bleeding or cut off blood supply to a region, not removing a traveling particle. Thrombectomy would be removing a thrombus, which is a clot that is usually stationary in a vessel. Cardiotomy means incising into the heart, not specifically removing an embolus.