Surgical approaches to hemophilic arthropathy

: The role of the orthopedic surgeon is to use invasive and/or surgical methods to treat the musculoskeletal disorders suffered by persons with hemophilia, always within the context of a multidisciplinary team. Muscle hematomas must be diagnosed as early as possible and be subjected to continuous treatment until full resolution, as they are associated with the risk of severe complications (compartment syndromes and pseudotumors). Arthrocentesis (extraction of intra-articular blood) is recommended in cases of acute and profuse hemarthrosis. Synovectomy is mandatory in the case of synovitis. Radiosynovectomy plays a key role as it has been shown to reduce bleeding by 65%. Our department uses Yttrium-90 in knees and Rhenium-186 in elbows and ankles. Radiosynovectomy is our treatment of choice for synovitis whereas arthroscopic synovectomy is resorted to as second-line treatment. Total knee replacement (TKR) has shown itself to be effective for treating severe hemophilic arthropathy, although the infection risk in patients with hemophilia is higher than in patients with osteoarthritis (1-2 vs. 7%).