ABSTRACT
There are three important actors, dramatis personae, in the drama of brain embolism: the
recipient artery that catches and receives the embolic material, even temporarily; the
embolic material itself-the stuff that makes up the emboli; and the donor source from
which the embolic material originates (Fig. 1). I find it useful to think of the brain embo-
lism triad as birds and nests. The bird (embolic material) arises from a nest (donor source)
and often flies from the nest to rest on a distant tree branch or other destination (recipient
artery) (Fig. 2) (1). All of the actors in the drama play important roles, but each role has its
own unique character and significance in the play. Of course, there are many nests, many
birds, and many different destinations to which they fly.
