According to People magazine, tennis superstar Serena Williams has been hospitalized with a blood clot (pulmonary embolism) in her lungs.
As I told you in several Medical Minute posts, a pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that travels from the legs up a major vein that empties blood into the heart and lungs. If that clot becomes trapped in the lungs, it impedes the flow of blood around it causing oxygen starvation to the surrounding cells, leading to respiratory distress and sudden death.
People with sedentary lifestyles (people who sit for long periods of time) are at risk for developing blood clots. Patients who have undergone bone surgery (or fracture of the long bones in the legs) are also susceptible to blood clots.
In January, photos surfaced of Williams appearing thin and weakened. At the time, I told you rumors that I had heard about the seriousness of her condition. As usual, no one paid attention to me.
“Monday Serena Williams underwent emergency treatment at [Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles] for a hematoma she suffered as a result of treatment for a more critical situation,” her spokeswoman, Nicole Chabot, told People.
Just days after getting a cast removed from her right foot, Serena Williams’ health took a scary turn on Monday.
According to People Magazine, the former tennis champion underwent emergency surgery after suffering a blood clot in her lungs.
Nicole Chabot, Williams’ representative, told the magazine that “doctors are continuing to monitor her situation closely.”
The 29-year-old was treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Williams recently told the New York Post that she planned on playing in the French Open.
Source: HuffPo
