Answer: Cell fragments that clump together to help reduce blood loss are called platelets. These platelets are found floating in the blood stream. When a capillary or any kind of blood vessel is cut/damaged, chemicals are released and it in a way, calls out to the platelets to come and to start help form a plug to reduce blood loss from the injured spot.
Answer: The blood clot is only a temporary solution to stop bleeding; vessel repair is therefore needed. The aggregated platelets help this process by secreting chemicals that promote the invasion of fibroblasts from surrounding connective tissue into the wounded area to completely heal the wound or form a scar.
Answer: There are the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways in clotting. The intrinsic pathway is initiated when blood comes in contact with damaged endothelium or collagen, and involves clotting factors XII, XI, IX, and VIII. The extrinsic pathway is activated when being exposed to tissue factor from tissue injury or the addition of thromboplastin to blood, and involves clotting factor VII. The two pathways meet at the point of clotting factor X activation to lead the final common pathway. From here, factor X is converted to prothrombin, prothrombin to thrombin, thrombin to fibrinogen, fibrinogen to fibrin, and finally fibrin to fibrin clot. Platelets, activated by thrombin, adhere to the damaged endothelium wall or collagen to form a plug. At the same time, they activate clotting factors VII and X. More platelets are stimulated by fibrin clots, resulting in reinforcing the formed clots.
Answer: Yes, although the surgical team will do everything to minimize this possibility. Blood clots may form due to injuries to the inside wall of blood vessels, which leads to the clumping together of platelets and formation of blood clots.
Answer: Yes. There is a correlation. Blood flow to the periphery is curtailed when smoking. In an experienced smoker, when deprived for an hour or so from cigarettes, we took readings of his peripheral blood flow. In the middle of his first puff, the blood flow dropped a lot. It was so fast a dop, I thought it was a learned effect; the doctors did not agree with me.