Recurrent Hemarthrosis After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Recurrent hemarthrosis is a rare complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Its incidence is reported as less than 1%. Most patients present with acute knee pain and swelling in the absence of trauma, resulting in significant loss of function. The authors report a case of recurrent hemarthrosis in a 64-year-old female. She presented with repeated episodes of sudden-onset right knee pain, swelling, and bruising at 18 months after a right TKA. During revision knee surgery, the recurrent hemarthrosis was identified to have been caused by entrapment of hypertrophied knee synovium under the TKA tibial base plate. After excision of the synovial tissue and cementing of the tibial defect, the patient recovered well after surgery with no future recurrences of knee pain and swelling.