Traumatic haemarthrosis of the knee

Haemarthrosis of the knee after trauma is a common problem often seen in accident and emergency departments.

: To evaluate the injuries sustained after haemarthrosis of the knee in a relatively young population, and to assess the need for performing cultures on aspirated blood.

The notes of 510 patients who were seen at the accident and emergency department of the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, between 1990 and 1999 were retrospectively studied. The age, sex, mechanism of injury, final diagnosis and management were recorded. The exact diagnosis was confirmed by a magnetic resonance imaging scan or arthroscopy findings. All the patients had their knee aspirate cultured, and the reports on the culture of aspirated blood were obtained from the department of pathology.

A fall was the major cause of haemarthrosis in 52%, followed by sports injury in 38%. The medical records of all 510 patients were reviewed. All patients' follow-up records were seen, most patients were followed up in the orthopaedic outpatient clinic and some in the accident and emergency follow-up clinic, all attended at least three or more clinics before discharge.

Culture of the aspirate of all patients was felt to be a waste of time and money. Nearly 40% of cases were thought to be idiopathic and settled conservatively without intervention.