Synoviorthesis in young patients with hemophilia and inhibitory antibodies

Radiosynovectomy for the Treatment of Chronic Hemophilic Synovitis: An Old Technique, but Still Very Effective

A radiosynovectomy (RS) should be indicated when recurrent articular bleeds related to chronic hemophilia synovitis (CHS) exist, established by clinical examination, and confirmed by imaging techniques that cannot be constrained with hematological prophylaxis. RS can be performed at any point in life, mainly in adolescents (>13−14 years) and adults. Intraarticular injection (IAI) of a radioactive material in children might be arduous since we need child collaboration which might include general anesthesia. RS is our initial option for management of CHS. For the knee joint we prescribe Yttrium-90, while for the elbow and ankle we prescribe Rhenium-186 (1 to 3 IAIs every 6 months). The procedure is greatly cost efficient when compared to surgical synovectomy. Chemical synovectomy with rifampicin has been reported to be efficacious, inexpensive, simple, and especially practical in developing countries where radioactive materials are not easily available. Rifampicin seems to be more efficacious when it is utilized in small joints (elbows and ankles), than when utilized in bigger ones (knees). When RS and/or chemical synovectomy fail, arthroscopic synovectomy (or open synovectomy in some cases) should be indicated. For us, surgery must be performed after the failure of 3 RSs with 6-month interims. RS is an effective and minimally invasive intervention for treatment of repeated articular bleeds due to CHS. Although it has been published that the risk of cancer does not increase, and that the amount of radioactive material used in RS is insignificant, the issue of chromosomal and/or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) changes remains a concern and continued surveillance is critical. As child and adulthood prophylaxis becomes more global, RS might become obsolete in the long-term.

The use of radiosynovectomy in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Assessment of treatment efficacy and safety

Objectives

The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of knee joint radiosynovectomy (RS) in patients suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Material and methods

One hundred RS procedures performed in 58 patients with JIA in average age 10.4 years were evaluated.

Results

After 6 weeks, a decrease in the number of cases with joint pain from 90.3% to 29%, with joint oedema from 100% to 74.5%, with joint exudate from 100% to 60.6%, with gait disorders from 19.4% to 3.2%, with joint mobility disorders from 51.1% to 26.6% in the RS cases was observed. A reduction of the score in the Colorado scale from 10.9 to 4.66, in the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) from 50 to 10, in the illness VAS assessed by the patient/parent from 69.9 to 32.4, in the illness VAS assessed by the physician from 68.8 to 36.9 was observed. Six months after the RS procedure, a reduction in the number of cases with joint pain from 89.5% prior to the procedure to 29.5%, with oedema from 100% to 58.3%, with exudate from 100% to 46.9%, with gait disorders from 20% to 2.1%, with joint motility disorders from 51.1% to 26.1% was achieved. The score in the Colorado scale was reduced from 10.9 to 4.04, in the pain VAS from 40 to 0, in the illness VAS assessed by the patient/parent from 69.7 to 27.9, in the illness VAS assessed by the physician from 68.8 to 32.4. In ultrasound examinations, the greatest improvement compared to the initial condition was recorded in the 6^th month after the RS. Radiosynovectomy was positively evaluated by parents and patients in 34 anonymous surveys. Early and late observations (average 1473 days) did not show lesions at the isotope injection site, and no neoplastic lesions were observed.

Conclusions

Radiosynovectomy is a valuable therapeutic option for local treatment in patients with JIA.

Prognostic factors of radiosynovectomy in haemophilia patients with inhibitors: Survival analysis in a 19-year period

INTRODUCTION

People with haemophilia (PwH) with inhibitors have an increased risk of bleeding and early development of progressive arthropathy. Radiosynovectomy (RS) has been effective in dramatically reducing the frequency of haemarthroses. In the present study, the mid- and long-term results of the efficacy of RS in PwHs with inhibitors and prognostic factors that influence success and failure of RS were presented.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Radiosynovectomy was performed in 51 joints of 22 PwHs with inhibitors diagnosed with chronic haemophilic synovitis between January 2000 and December 2018. Two patients were lost to follow-up and four joints were excluded. Number of bleeding episodes within the pre- and post-treatment 6 months were documented. Treatment failure was defined as need for repeat RS injection.

RESULTS

Results of 47 RS were analysed. The mean bleeding frequency of the joints was 11.2 ± 6.2 (median 9) within the last 6 months in the pre-treatment evaluation. After the treatment, the mean bleeding frequency of the joints decreased to 1.2 ± 2.8 (median 0) for first 6 months (P < .0001). The cumulative survival rate at 12 months was 87% and 78% at 36 months. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that cut-off points of 12 bleeding episodes within the last 6 months (sensitivity, 71.4; specificity, 81.8 P = .0022) and an inhibitor titre of 63.4 BU (sensitivity, 57.1; specificity, 75.8; P = .31) were threshold levels for a predisposition for failure.

CONCLUSION

Radiosynovectomy is an effective and safe intervention in PwHs with inhibitors. Bleeding frequency is a prognostic marker for the success of RS treatment. Patients who have more than 12 bleeding episodes within the last 6 months before the RS treatment have a higher rate of failure.

Safety of radiation exposure after radiosynovectomy in paediatric patients with haemophilia

Many paediatric patients with haemophilia who might benefit from radiosynovectomy (RS) for the control of synovitis do not undergo the procedure as there is controversy in the literature regarding the safety of radiation exposure after two cases of acute lymphocytic leukaemia in children with haemophilia treated with (32) P RS were reported. The purpose of this review was to analyse the safety of RS in paediatric patients with haemophilia and provide a risk-benefit assessment, which practitioners could apply to their patients. Children undergoing knee RS receive a radiation dose of approximately 0.74 mSv (90 megabecquerels-MBq) and elbow and ankle RSs a dose of approximately 0.32 mSv (30-40 MBq). The radiation dose from natural sources is approximately 2 mSv and the recommended limit for patients (apart from natural sources) is 1 mSv per year. The lifetime cancer risk increases about 0.5% per 100 mSv per year. Considering the risks and benefits of RS, the authors recommend that clinicians consider this procedure in children with inhibitors or in patients without inhibitors when bleeding is recurrent and persistent despite aggressive factor replacement.

The efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray in the evaluation of response to radiosynovectomy in patients with hemophilic arthropathy

Objective: We aimed to assess the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and X-Ray in the evaluation of response to radiosynovectomy (RS) in patients with hemophilic arthropathy.

Material and Methods: Eleven patients who suffered from hemophilic arthropathy with a mean age of 11.7 (range between 7-15) were included in this study. 148-185 MBq Yttrium 90 silicate (Y-90) was administered intraarticularly to ten knee joints and one patient was treated with intraarticular 74 MBq Rhenium 186 (Re-186) injection into his ankle. Before radiosynovectomy, plain anteroposterior and lateral X-rays of the target joints were obtained by standard technique. The follow-up MRI and X-ray studies of the patients were done 6 months after RS. Pettersson hemophilic arthropathy scales were utilized to stage the condition of the joints on plain X-ray and classification of the investigated joints on MRI were done according to Denver score. The clinical assessment of the efficacy of the RS was made with the comparison of the average bleedings before and after the intervention.

Results: During the 6-month follow-up period after RS, an improvement in number of hemarthrosis 75% or greater compared with the prior six months occurred in six joints (54.5%). The Pettersson scores worsened in 1/11 (9%), remained unchanged in 9/11 (81.8%), and improved in 1/11 (9%) joints. At the 6-month follow-up, the MRI score worsened in one (9%) and was unchanged in 10/11 joints (90.9%).

Conclusion: MRI is a more sensitive tool than plain radiography for evaluating and follow-up of joint disease in persons with hemophilia, but both methods don’t show correlation with the therapeutic response

Conflict of interest:None declared.

Synoviorthesis with radioactive gold in haemophilia

According to the experiences of the Malmö Haemophilia Centre, the best way to avoid recurrent joint bleedings and synovitis in haemophilic patients and to prevent progressive joint disease is prophylactic factor treatment. If prophylaxis is impracticable and also in patients with factor inhibitors, radioactive synoviorthesis seems to be a good treatment option if started early.

The history of synoviorthesis in haemophilia

The history of synoviorthesis and recent studies have shown that it is a safe procedure and that the results are similar to those seen following open surgical and arthroscopic synovectomy. If the safety of this procedure is definitively proven in long-term studies it will become the procedure of choice for treatment of recurrent haemarthroses and synovitis. That is, until the time when the haematologists and geneticists eliminate the need for orthopaedic intervention in the care of persons with haemophilia.

Late clinical, plain X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging findings in haemophilic joints treated with radiosynoviorthesis

The clinical, plain X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were studied in 13 haemophilic joints previously treated with radiosynoviorthesis. (32)P had been injected into the joints at a median of 16 years earlier in an attempt to halt recurrent haemorrhage. Prior to (32)P injection, the majority of joints demonstrated bone damage evident on plain X-ray, secondary to recurrent haemorrhage. At the follow-up evaluation we found plain X-rays were adequate to identify cysts, erosions and cartilage loss in these very damaged joints. MRI was superior to clinical examination and plain X-ray in identifying synovial hyperplasia and effusions.

MRI findings in haemophilic joints treated with radiosynoviorthesis with development of an MRI scale of joint damage

We hypothesized that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans taken prior to radiosynoviorthesis may be predictive of response to the procedure in persons with haemophilia. Specifically, response would be inversely related to the severity of synovial hyperplasia. Radiosynoviorthesis was administered to 21 joints with recurrent haemorrhage (target joints). A detailed self-report of haemorrhage history, joint evaluation with scoring according to the World Federation of Haemophilia orthopaedic joint and pain scales, plain radiographs, and MRI studies of the joints were performed pre- and post-radiosynoviorthesis. To augment comparison of the MRI findings to those assessed using the Arnold-Hilgartner and Pettersson scales, a provisional MRI scale for evaluation of haemophilic arthropathy was designed. We found the MRI findings prior to the procedure were not predictive of clinical response; independent of the severity of synovial hyperplasia, most joints bled less and showed improvement by the WFH orthopaedic score. There was generally no change in the severity of synovial hyperplasia after the procedure. We conclude that MRI evaluation is not routinely indicated prior to radiosynoviorthesis.

A retrospective study on chemical and radioactive synovectomy in severe haemophilia patients with recurrent haemarthrosis

Between 1970 and 1994, 116 chemical and 90 radioactive synovectomies were performed in 107 patients with severe haemophilia and two with type 3 von Willebrand's disease. The products used were osmic acid (OA) in 100 cases, 90-Yttrium in 35 cases, 186-Rhenium in 48, 169-Erbium in two, hexacetonide triamcinolone in 16 and radioactive gold in five cases. The use of radioactive colloids is not allowed in France in patients under 15 years of age. Twenty-nine patients had more than one synovectomy per joint. All patients were evaluated for 6 months post-synovectomy, using both a clinical and a radiological score. Six months after synovectomy, a good or excellent result was obtained for 81% of the joints treated with isotopes, compared with 44% of those treated with OA, P<0.001. This superiority of isotopes over osmic acid was still observed after 6 months for the 89 joints that were re-evaluated, with follow-up ranging from 1 to 9 years. It was possible to calculate a radiological score in 84 cases. With OA the best results were from the joints with the lowest scores pre-synovectomy (<7). No correlation could be established between the clinical and the radiological scores, due to the small size of the sample. In summary: (1) chemical and radioactive synovectomy are simple and safe procedures for haemophilic arthropathy, (2) in our series, after 6 months the efficacy of isotopic synovectomy was greater than that of chemical synovectomy, and this benefit seems to persist after 6 months, and up to 9 years in the group of patients with longer-term follow-up.