An
embolism is the lodging of an
embolus, which may be a blood clot, fat globule, gas bubble or foreign material in the bloodstream. This can cause a blockage in a
blood vessel. Such a blockage (
vascular occlusion) may affect a part of the body distanced from the actual site of the embolism. This is in contrast to a
thrombus, which causes a blockage at the site of origin.