Hemarthrosis (or haemarthrosis, plural h(a)emarthroses) is a bleeding into joint spaces.

[edit] Causes

It usually follows injury but occurs mainly in patients with a predisposition to hemorrhage such as those being treated with warfarin (or other anticoagulants) and patients suffering from hemophilia.

It can be associated with knee joint arthroplasty.^[1]

[edit] Treatment

In hemophilia it may occur spontaneously, and recurrent hemarthroses are a major cause of disability in that patient group due to hemophilic arthropathy, requiring synovectomy, joint replacement^[2] and increased medical therapy to prevent further bleeding episodes, although it is controversial whether clotting factor administration adequately prevents hemarthroses.^[3]

[edit] Complications

Up to a quarter of all severe ligament or capsular knee injuries leading to a haemarthrosis are associated with cartilage damage that can lead to progressive degenerative arthritis.^[4]

[edit] References

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