Recurrent Hemarthrosis Following Knee Arthroplasty Treated with Arterial Embolization

Abstract

Recurrent hemarthrosis is an uncommon but troublesome complication following knee arthroplasty. This study reports the results for 13 patients with spontaneous recurrent hemarthrosis after knee arthroplasty treated with arterial embolization. The average interval between arthroplasty and embolization was 47 months (range, 2-103 months), and the average time from onset of hemarthrosis to embolization was 4.1 months (range, 1-11 months). Geniculate arterial embolization lead to resolution of hemarthrosis in 12 of 13 patients (92.3%). The one clinical failure likely represented a case of misdiagnosed periprosthetic joint infection. Two patients experienced transient cutaneous ischemia related to distal particulate embolization that resolved spontaneously. Selective geniculate arterial embolization is an effective and safe treatment modality for recurrent hemarthrosis after knee arthroplasty.

Keywords: complications; embolization; recurrent hemarthrosis; total knee arthroplasty; unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.