1 A blood clot that forms inside one of your veins or arteries is called a thrombus. A thrombus may also form in your heart.  A thrombus that breaks loose and travels from one location in the body to another is called an embolus.
The kidneys. The kidneys do vital work in the body filtering blood removing waste into urine, and balancing electrolyte levels. Our blood in our bodies passes through the kidneys several times a day. The kidneys are located at the back of the abdomen. Each kidney is about the size of a fist - 10-12.5cm long.
The kidneys are located in the abdomen toward the back, normally one on each side of the spine. They get their blood supply through the renal arteries directly from the aorta and send blood back to the heart via the renal veins to the vena cava. (The term renal is derived from the Latin name for kidney.) The kidneys have the ability to monitor the amount of body fluid, the concentrations of electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and the acid-base balance of the body.