Hemophilia

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Topic updated on 10/02/11 9:06am
Introduction
  • A bleeding disorder that leads to repeat hemarthrosis due to minor trauma, eventually leading to
    • synovitis
    • cartilage destruction
    • joint deformity
  • Forms include
    • Hemophillia A
      • decrease factor VIII
    • Von Willebrand's disease
      • abnormal factor VIII with platelet dysfunction
    • Hemophillia B - Christmas disease
      • decreased factor IX
  • Genetics
    • X-linked recessive disorder (affects males only)
  • Disease severity determined by degress of factor deficiency
    • mild: 5-25%
    • moderate: 1-5%
    • severe: 0-1%
  • The knee is most commonly involved joint, followd by elbow, ankle, shoulder, and spine
  • Immunoglobulin G antibody inhibitors
    • an IgG antibody to clotting factor proteins
    • inhibits response of therapeutic factor replacement
    • present in 4-20% of hemophillia patients and can develop at any time
    • presence is a relative contraindication for surgery
  • HIV prevalence up to 90% in hemophiliacs
Presentation
  • Orthopaedic manifestations
    • hemarthrosis
      • commonly affects knee
      • presents with painful swollen joint with decreased ROM
      • aspirate joint to rule out concomitant infection
    • intramuscular hematoma (pseudotumor)
      • may lead to nerve compression
        • iliacus hematoma may compress femoral nerve and presents with paresthesias in the L4 distribution  
    • leg length discrepancy
      • due to epiphyseal overgrowth
    • fractures
      • due to generalized osteopenia
      • will heal in normal time
Imaging
  • Radiographs
    • knee  
      • squaring of patella and femoral condyles (Jordan's sign)
      • ballooning of distal femur
      • widening of intercondylar notch
      • joint space narrowing
      • patella appear long and thin on lateral
    • epiphyseal overgrowth
    • generalized osteopenia
    • fractures
  • Ultrasound
    • often helpful to follow intramuscular hematomas
Treatment
  • Nonoperative
    • home transfusion therapy 
      • has reduced the severity of arthropathies
    • desmopressin 
      • can be used to treat mild or moderate hemophillia A
  • Factor administration
    •  factor VIII administration 
      • indications
        • vigorous physical therapy
          • increase factor VIII to 20%
        • acute hematomas
          • increase factor VIII to 30%
        • acute hemarthrosis and soft tissue surgery 
          • increase factor VIII to 40-50%
        • skeletal surgery
          • increase factor VIII to 100% for first week following surgery then maintain at > 50% for second week following surgery
    Operative treatment
    • may be indicated for sequelae of bleeding and includes
      • contracture release
      • synovectomy
        • has been shown to reduce incidence of recurrence
      • synoviorthesis (destruction of synovial tissue with intra-articular injection fo radioactive agent)
      • osteotomies
      • total joint arthroplasties for end stage arthropathy

 

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