Risks and patient outcomes of surgical intervention for hemophilic arthropathy

Surgical interventions usually needed for hemophilic arthropathy include arthroscopic synovectomy, alignment osteotomy, arthroscopic joint debridement, radial head removal, arthrodesis of the ankle, and total joint arthroplasty (elbow, hip, knee, ankle). Areas covered: Whatever the surgical technique, appropriate surgical hemostasis must be achieved through infusion of concentrate of the deficient factor (factor VIII or factor IX), either in recombinant or plasma-derived form, at the correct dosage (ideally for 10-14 days). In patients with inhibitors, there are also the aPCCs (activated prothrombin complex concentrates) and rFVIIa (recombinant activated FVII). These surgical procedures are safe even in the most complex cases such as patients with inhibitors or who are human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+) and hepatitis C virus-positive (HCV+). Expert opinion: The risk of bleeding in surgical procedures is higher for hemophilic patients than for other patients and there is also a greater risk of infection. Both these factors increase the risk of a poor outcome. Orthopedic surgery in hemophilia improves the patient's quality of life.