Surgery in patients with hemophilia: Is thromboprophylaxis mandatory?

Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hemophilic Patients Undergoing Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: Insights from a Single-Center Experience

Background and Objectives: Total hip replacement and total knee arthroplasty carry a high risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE); therefore, anticoagulation prophylaxis is recommended in these patients. Unfortunately, there are no guidelines about VTE prophylaxis in patients with hemophilia who underwent these high-risk surgeries. To determine whether these patients have a high risk of VTE, we conducted a retrospective study on patients with hemophilia who underwent elective arthroplasty at our hospital in 2016. Materials and Methods: There were 11 patients with hemophilia A and B who underwent high-risk surgeries. Recombinant factor VIII or IX and also active recombinant Factor VII were used for perioperative hemostasis, and LMWH was administered for thromboembolic prophylaxis. Postoperatively, we collected information on the duration of factor VIII/IX infusion, VTE-prophylaxis, and complications. Results: Postoperative bleeding was minimal in most cases, with an average blood loss of 500 mL. No major thrombotic events were reported, and the need for transfusion was low, with only one patient requiring additional blood products. The VTE prophylaxis included prophylactic enoxaparin and hemostatic treatment. At the 1-year follow-up, we did not find any evidence of clinical VTE in our patients. Conclusions: Better risk stratification is needed to identify patients who would benefit from pharmacological prophylaxis. Total arthroplasty in hemophilic patients is feasible and safe when managed by a multidisciplinary team and supported by tailored antithrombotic prophylaxis protocols. The use of recombinant coagulation factors and LMWH ensures effective bleeding control and thromboembolic prevention, enhancing patient outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of individualized care in this high-risk population.

Sequential combined bypassing therapy in haemophilia patients with high titer inhibitors: surgical experience

Sequential combination bypass therapy (SCBT) is an effective treatment option for haemophilia patients with inhibitors; however, its safety, efficacy, and cost have largely have yet to be systematically evaluated. To address this question, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 14 haemophilia patients with high titer inhibitors who underwent surgery. The patients with high inhibitors were treated with two SCBT regimens by optimizing doses of the recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) and prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC). The effectiveness and safety of the two SCBT regimens were evaluated. In addition, rFVIIa and PCC factor consumption and costs were also compared. The median age of the 14 patients was 30.00 (27.25-42.75) years. They all underwent major surgeries, with 85.71% (12/14) was orthopedic surgeries related to hemophilic arthropathy. Four patients were treated using regimen 1 and ten with regimen 2. Results showed that regimen 2 exhibited a higher haemostatic efficiency (90% vs. 75% intraoperative and 90% vs. 50% postoperative) and a 28.0% reduction in economic costs (863,604.68 RMB vs. 621,756.62 RMB). All patients after surgery had no prothrombin time extension, 7.14% had fibrinogen and platelet count decreases, and 57.14% had D-dimer increases that returned to baseline within 5-7 days after SCBT. The study shows that regimen 2 as an optimized SCBT regimen is an efficient approach to secure haemostasis for haemophilia patients with high titer inhibitors in the perioperative period, rather than regimen 1. The findings can help design future clinical studies and provide more reliable data and implementation advice.

Rates of venous thromboembolism and use of thromboprophylaxis after major orthopedic surgery in patients with congenital hemophilia A or B: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a well-recognized complication after total joint replacement (TJR). Persons with hemophilia A or B are considered at low postoperative VTE risk due to their coagulation factor deficiencies, and administering pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis is often considered contraindicated. However, using factor replacement therapy could increase the postoperative VTE risk.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze best available evidences of VTE rates in persons with hemophilia A or B undergoing lower limb TJR and the use of postoperative pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis.

METHODS

We systematically screened 4 online biomedical databases to identify studies reporting VTE rates in patients with hemophilia after TJR. Case reports and case series with less than 10 patients were excluded.

RESULTS

Twenty-six observational studies were included in this systematic review, reporting 1181 TJRs in patients with hemophilia A or B. Eight studies had VTE rates as the primary outcome. Five studies reported screen-detected VTE, while 21 reported symptomatic VTE events. Overall, 17 VTE events were reported (1.4%; 95% CI, 0.9%-2.3%), including 10 (6.6%) after 151 surgeries with postoperative VTE screening and 7 (0.7%) after 1080 surgeries without postoperative screening. Thromboprophylaxis protocols were specified in 21 studies; postoperative thromboprophylaxis was used in 15 (1.3%) surgeries. This information was not available for 29.0% of the analyzed population.

CONCLUSION

Despite the low thromboprophylaxis use in patients with hemophilia, rates of symptomatic VTE after TJR appeared to be low. We also highlighted the need to better report the thrombotic outcome in persons with hemophilia to face the ongoing changes in the hemophilia landscape.

Pharmacological Thromboprophylaxis in People with Hemophilia Experiencing Orthopedic Surgery: What Does the Literature Say in 2023?

This narrative review of the literature, consisting of papers found in PubMed and The Cochrane Library published up to 31 July 2023, analyzed those that were deemed to be closely related to the title of this paper. It was encountered that the peril of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in people with hemophilia (PWH) after orthopedic surgery is very small, such that pharmacological thromboprophylaxis is not necessary in most cases. The hemophilia literature states that the use of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis should only be performed in PWH undergoing major orthopedic surgery (total-knee arthroplasty, total-hip arthroplasty, ankle arthrodesis) who have additional venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk factors, such as old age, prior VTE, varicose veins, general anesthesia, cancer, factor V (Leiden) mutation, overweight, and treatment with the oral contraceptive pill (in females with von Willebrand's illness). If we notice various risk factors for VTE in PWH who experience orthopedic surgery, theoretically, we should perform the identical type of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis advised for non-hemophilia patients: low-molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), such as enoxaparin (40 mg subcutaneous/24 h); or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), either thrombin inhibitors (dabigatran, 150 mg oral/12 h) or activated factor X (FXa) inhibitors (rivaroxaban, 20 mg oral/24 h; apixaban, 5 mg oral/24 h), or subcutaneous fondaparinux (2.5 mg/24 h subcutaneously). However, the review of the literature on hemophiliac patients has shown that only a few authors have used pharmacological prophylaxis with LMWH (subcutaneous enoxaparin) for a short period of time (10-14 days) in some patients who had risk factors for VTE. Only one group of authors used a low dose of DOAC in the dusk after the surgical procedure and the next day, specifically in individuals at elevated risk of VTE and elevated risk of bleeding after the surgical procedure.

Thromboembolic Disease in Haemophilic Patients Undergoing Major Orthopaedic Surgery: Is Thromboprophylaxis Mandatory?

Haemophilia is a rare genetic disorder, that results from various degrees of deficiency of coagulation factor VIII (haemophilia A), or factor IX (haemophilia B), with an X-linked transmission. The patients affected are in the majority of cases males (who inherit the affected X-chromosome from the maternal side), with rare cases of females with haemophilia (FVIII or FIX < 40 IU/dL), situations in which both X-chromosomes are affected, or one is affected, and the other one is inactive (known as carrier). The hypocoagulable state due to the deficiency of clotting factors, manifests as an excessive, recurrent tendency to bleeding, which positively correlates with plasmatic levels. Severe haemophilia results in hemarthrosis, although recent data have shown that moderate or even mild disease can lead to joint bleeding. Recurrent episodes of haemorrhages, usually affecting large joints such as knees, elbows, or ankles, lead to joint remodelling and subsequent haemophilic arthropathy, which may require arthroplasty as a last therapeutic option. Orthopaedic patients have the highest risk among all for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) with morbid and potentially fatal consequences. While for the rest of the population thromboprophylaxis in orthopaedic surgery is efficient, relatively safe, and widely used, for patients with haemophilia who are considered to have a low thromboembolic risk, there is great controversy. The great heterogeneity of this particular population, and the lack of clinical trials, with only case reports or observational studies, makes thromboprophylaxis in major orthopaedic surgery a tool to be used by every clinician based on experience and case particularities. This review aims to briefly summarise the latest clinical data and to offer an insight into the current recommendations that readers would find useful in daily practice.

Abnormal Coagulation as a Risk Factor for Postoperative Complications After Primary and Revision Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have an increased likelihood of having an abnormal coagulation profile compared with the general population. Coagulation abnormalities are often screened for before surgery and considered during perioperative planning. This study assesses a preoperative abnormal coagulation profile as a risk factor for postoperative complications after total hip arthroplasty (THA), revision THA (rTHA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and revision TKA (rTKA) and then examines specific coagulopathies to determine their influence on complication rates.

METHODS

Patients who underwent THA, rTHA, TKA, or rTKA from 2011 to 2017 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database and then assessed for preoperative abnormal coagulation profiles. Various postoperative complications were analyzed for each cohort, and two separate multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between abnormal coagulation and postoperative complications.

RESULTS

403,566 THA, rTHA, TKA, or rTKA cases were identified, and 40,466 (10.0%) of patients were found to have an abnormal coagulation profile. Patients with preoperative coagulation abnormalities had higher likelihoods of postoperative complications after primary TJA than in revision TJA. An international normalized ratio>1.2 was associated with the most types of postoperative complications, followed by a bleeding disorder diagnosis. A partial thromboplastin time>35 seconds was associated with only one type of postoperative complication, while a platelet count <150,000 per μL was associated with postoperative complications only after TKA.

CONCLUSION

TJA in patients with abnormal coagulation profiles may result in adverse outcomes. These patients may benefit from preoperative intervention. Prophylactic care needs to be personalized to the specific coagulation abnormalities present.

Current practices in haemophilic patients undergoing orthopedic surgery - a systematic review

Haemophilia is an inherited disease that requires a different approach in order to evaluate, monitor and treat patients. Despite the great advances in therapeutic agents that have emerged, reports on the impact of monitoring outcomes on treatment decisions are rarely presented. Haemophilia A and haemophilia B are inherited bleeding disorders caused by deficiencies in blood clotting factor proteins. A systematic review was performed to identify literature reports on the current practices in haemophilic patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. The best therapy for haemophilic patients consists in performing primary prophylaxis to prevent joint bleeding and other complications. Besides the primary prophylaxis, thromboprophylaxis is used to prevent venous thrombosis in patients with hemophilia who undergo surgical orthopedic procedures. Further research is needed to better manage the pharmacologic approaches in haemophilic patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Although patients with haemophilia present low risk for thromboembolic complications, such events have been reported in surgical procedures. The recommendations in patients with haemophilia are considerably variable in the current guidelines and clinical practice. The best therapy for haemophilic patients consists in performing primary prophylaxis to prevent joint bleeding and other complications.

Vascularized Free Tissue Transfer in a Patient with Hemophilia B: Case Report and Literature Review

Hemophilia is a blood disorder characterized by impairment of the coagulation cascade leading to an increased bleeding risk (Kauffman, 2014). As such, surgical management of these patients can become difficult and well-defined surgical guidelines are not yet in place (Assoumane et al., 2017). Close monitoring of perioperative factor levels may be even more crucial for those undergoing microvascular free tissue transfer. This is because either a hypercoagulable or hypocoagulable bleeding state has the potential to further increase the risk of vascular compromise to the flap. We report a successful case of mandibular reconstruction using a free fibular flap in a patient with severe hemophilia B and the protocols we used, as well as a review of the literature of similar cases. In the literature, we identified 6 cases of microvascular free tissue transfer in patients with hemophilia; two of these cases had complications which were both related to excess bleeding. It is crucial that these cases be managed in a multidisciplinary fashion in close consultation with a hematologist. The role of venothromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in the hemophilic patient undergoing free tissue transfer is discussed.

Recommendations on multidisciplinary management of elective surgery in people with haemophilia

Planning and undertaking elective surgery in people with haemophilia (PWH) is most effective with the involvement of a specialist and experienced multidisciplinary team (MDT) at a haemophilia treatment centre. However, despite extensive best practice guidelines for surgery in PWH, there may exist a gap between guidelines and practical application. For this consensus review, an expert multidisciplinary panel comprising surgeons, haematologists, nurses, physiotherapists and a dental expert was assembled to develop practical approaches to implement the principles of multidisciplinary management of elective surgery for PWH. Careful preoperative planning is paramount for successful elective surgery, including dental examinations, physical assessment and prehabilitation, laboratory testing and the development of haemostasis and pain management plans. A coordinator may be appointed from the MDT to ensure that critical tasks are performed and milestones met to enable surgery to proceed. At all stages, the patient and their parent/caregiver, where appropriate, should be consulted to ensure that their expectations and functional goals are realistic and can be achieved. The planning phase should ensure that surgery proceeds without incident, but the surgical team should be ready to handle unanticipated events. Similarly, the broader MDT must be made aware of events in surgery that may require postoperative plans to be changed. Postoperative rehabilitation should begin soon after surgery, with attention paid to management of haemostasis and pain. Surgery in patients with inhibitors requires even more careful preparation and should only be undertaken by an MDT experienced in this area, at a specialized haemophilia treatment centre with a comprehensive care model.

Hemophilia: What the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Needs to Know

Hemophilia will be encountered in the oral and maxillofacial surgeon's office. A thorough understanding of hemophilia is necessary to safely care for these patients. One must understand the severity of the patient's hemophilia as well as whether or not inhibitors are present. The patient's surgical management will be influenced by these two factors. In addition to the possible need to transfuse factors or desmopressin, special care must be taken perioperatively to avoid bleeding complications. This article reviews the overall management of hemophilia A and B as well as the specific perioperative management of these patients.

[Thrombotic events in patients with hemophilia]

The paper describes 4 clinical cases of thrombotic events (pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombophlebitis, acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke) that have occurred in patients with hemophilia. It discusses the possible causes of their development and methods for their prevention and treatment. Controlled natural hypocoagulation, in which the dose of an administered deficient factor decreases to such an extent that in order to maintain the safe level of hypocoagulation (plasma factor activity is 15-20%; activated partial thromboplastin time is 1.5-2 times normal values), is proposed as one of the treatment options.

Thromboprophylaxis and Outcomes for Total Joint Arthroplasty in Congenital Bleeding Disorders

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) improves the quality of life for patients with end-stage osteoarthritis but is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), thus pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis is recommended for most patients. Patients with congenital bleeding disorders may develop severe arthropathies due to repeated hemarthroses and derive similar benefit from TJA as the general population. No guidelines for pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis in this population exist, however, as the risks and benefits are not well defined. We undertook the current study to assess the safety and efficacy of pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis in patients with congenital bleeding disorders undergoing TJA. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with bleeding disorders who underwent TJA at our academic institution between 1987 and 2012. We identified 28 patients who underwent 38 TJA procedures. Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) was administered in 29 procedures (76%) and was discontinued early in 3 procedures (2 patients) due to nonjoint bleeding. No symptomatic VTE was identified, and no joint or deep wound infections were seen. Twenty-two patients accounting for 31 procedures were contacted to discuss their experience with TJA. All reported decreased pain, and 97% reported improved function after the surgery. Impressively, 97% stated that they would choose to have the surgery again. These results confirm the benefit of TJA in patients with congenital bleeding disorders and end-stage arthropathies and suggest that LMWH thromboprophylaxis is safe. No patient in our cohort developed symptomatic VTE, whether or not thromboprophylaxis was administered, thus necessity of thromboprophylaxis remains an unanswered question.

Total ankle replacement in patients with von Willebrand disease: mid-term results of 18 procedures

von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a recognized cause of secondary ankle osteoarthritis (OA). Few studies have examined orthopaedic complications and outcomes in VWD patients treated for end-stage ankle OA with total ankle replacement (TAR). To determine the clinical presentation, intraoperative and postoperative complications and evaluate the mid-term outcome in VWD patients treated with TAR. Eighteen patients with VWD with mean age 47.3 years (range = 34.0-68.7) were treated for end-stage ankle OA with TAR. The mean duration of follow-up was 7.5 years (range = 2.9-13.2). Intraoperative and perioperative complications were recorded. Component stability was assessed with weight-bearing radiographs. Clinical evaluation included range of motion (ROM) tests using a goniometer and under fluoroscopy using a lateral view. Clinical outcomes were analysed by a visual analogue scale, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hindfoot score and Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) health survey. One patient sustained an intraoperative medial malleolar fracture. In two patients delayed wound healing was observed. Two secondary major surgeries were performed. Pain level decreased from 8.2 ± 0.9 (range = 7-10) preoperatively to 1.1 ± 1.2 (range = 0-4) postoperatively. Significant functional improvement including ROM was observed. All categories of SF-36 score showed significant improvement in quality of life. Mid-term results of TAR in patients with VWD are encouraging. The total rate of intraoperative and postoperative complications was 33.3%. However, longer term outcomes are necessary to fully understand the clinical benefit of TAR in patients with VWD.