NASA Astronaut Has Blood Clot In Space And Gets Treatment From Earth
Image via Shutterstock
A NASA astronaut had a medical emergency in space and received treatment from Earth.
According to a report from CNET, the unnamed astronaut uncovered the clot about two months into a six-month-long mission when getting a neck ultrasound for research.
Doctors often examine the patient’s conditions prior to making a diagnosis but with the astronaut being in space, doing so would be tricky. NASA thus engaged doctor Stephan Moll, a blood-clot expert from the University of North Carolina, to work out a treatment plan for the crew member accordingly.
Moll and NASA’s medical team decided to manage the clot with blood thinners. With a limited amount of medicine supply, the dosage had to be meticulously outlined before a new batch would arrive from Earth.
The astronaut had to rely on injections for around 40 days before switching to oral pills. Right before the return to Earth, the crew member stopped the medications. There was no follow-up treatment required for the clot.
Moll has since co-authored a case study on the clot, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine on Thursday.
[via CNET, cover image via Shutterstock]
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