Spontaneous Hemarthrosis of the Knee in the Elderly

ABSTRACT

The etiology of spontaneous hemarthrosis of the knee joint in elderly pattents is still unknown. This report discusses seven spontaneous hernarthroses, three that were managed witla conservative measures such as aspiration, rest and knee immobilization because of poor general condition and four in which arthroscopic evaluation and treatment were performed. These patients were elderly indi.viduals without an obvious history of trauma. The roentgenograms of each involved knee demonstrated degenerative osteoarthritic changes of knee joint. Arthroscopic examination revealed denuded articular cartilage and subchondral bone exposure in four operative cases and degenerative meniscal tear in one case of four. These patients underwent mthroscopic debridement and did not experience recurrenees of the hemarthrosis. We think that the origin of the bleeding was most likely from the subchondral cancellous bone which was exposed due to degenerative change of the knee joint and the senile changes of the vessels around the knee joint with aging process may contribute the spontaneous bleeding into the knee joints.