deep vein thrombosis

Re: Medicine, Deep Vein Thrombosis
Fr: 7Days (2005 June 20), p. 4. (highlight & capitalization mine)

“JESUS DIED OF BLOOD CLOT, DOCTOR CLAIMS”

“Researcher says Jesus died on cross of deep vein thrombosis”

“Jesus may have died form a blood clot that reached his lungs, a physician said, challenging the popular conception that he died of asphyxiation and blood loss during his crucifixion.
“Dr. Benjamin Brenner, a researcher, said that he was publicizing his theory to raise awareness of PULMONARY EMBOLISM, a potentially fatal disorder often associated with long-distance air travel.
“However, the author of an earlier in-depth medical report into the cause of Jesus’ death dismissed the theory, and Bible scholars said that while establishing the physical cause of Jesus’ death was interesting, it ignored the spiritual dimension.
“‘It is known that the common cause of death in the setting of MULTIPLE TRAUMA, IMMOBILISATION and DEHYDRATION is pulmonary embolism,’ wrote Brenner in Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
“‘This fits well with Jesus’ condition and actually was in all likelihood the major cause of death of crucified victims.’ A pulmonary embolism is caused when a blood clot travels to the lungs, usually from the leg, causing an acute shortness of breath and chest pains. It is frequently fatal and has become widely recognized.
“Brenner based his understanding of Jesus’ condition at the time of his death on a 1986 work based on the New Testament and contemporary religious sources that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
“That paper found that before his crucifixion, Jesus went 12 hours without food or water, was under emotional stress, was beaten and forced to walk to the crucifixion site carrying the heavy cross beam of the cross on which he was crucified. He also was scourged before being nailed to the cross, leading to some blood loss.
“Brenner said the authors may have missed the blood clot possibly because it was not fully understood then.
“‘The field of BLOOD COAGULATION has gone through significant changes in the past 20 years,’ he said.”