Knee hemarthrosis - causes of development, symptoms, treatment
Knee hemarthrosis is a disease characterized by hemorrhage into the joint cavity. Lack of treatment leads to complications in the form of inflammatory processes, suppuration - surgical intervention may be necessary. The sooner treatment is started, the faster the knee joint function is restored.
Causes.
Most often, hemarthrosis occurs against the background of mechanical damage - fractures or dislocations, meniscus injury or capsule tear. Even as a result of a strong blow, the integrity of the blood vessels of the joint can be compromised with subsequent bleeding. If medical care is not provided, further suppuration and breakdown of the accumulated blood will occur, which may lead to inflammation of the soft tissues of the joint.
According to statistics, hemarthrosis of the knee joint is more often diagnosed in people who play sports professionally.
Signs of hemarthrosis
Almost immediately after a hemorrhage, pathological changes occur in the joint - its contours are smoothed out, soft tissues are swollen to the touch. The victim feels acute pain, and joint movements are limited. These are signs of hemarthrosis, which is actively progressing in the absence of adequate treatment:
- very severe pain, caused by stretching of the capsule due to blood accumulation;
- the skin over the damaged joint acquires a red-blue hue, becomes thin and shiny;
- any movement in the joint is impossible.
If the injury was severe, fragments of articular cartilage or meniscus may form inside the joint, in which case immobility occurs immediately, in the first seconds. In the absence of treatment, scar tissue begins to form in the joint cavity, which leads to irreversible consequences - the inability to restore joint function without endoprosthetics.
Methods of treatment
Hemarthrosis, the symptoms of which are manifested immediately, is well corrected. The main method of treatment is a knee joint puncture, during which the accumulated blood is removed and the medications Kenalon or Hydrocortisone are injected into the joint cavity. This procedure not only eliminates pain but also stops the development of the inflammatory process. The puncture is performed in a clinic under local anesthesia, and after the procedure, a bandage is applied to the knee joint. This method of treatment of hemarthrosis will be effective only in case of immediate application. There are also disadvantages - the doctor may not remove all the accumulated blood.
The following procedure is much more effective:
- suctioning blood from the joint;
- an antiseptic is injected to flush the cavity;
- then a second puncture is performed and the previously injected drug is sucked out.
Such measures are carried out until the second puncture begins to suck out a pure drug, without blood or blood clots. The patient can stay outside the hospital between punctures. However, an important condition must be met - walking on crutches to avoid stress on the damaged knee joint.
Treatment of hemarthrosis with these methods lasts 2-3 weeks. It may not have a positive effect if the injury was too serious with the formation of meniscus or articular cartilage fragments. In severe cases, endoprosthetics may even be required - the installation of an artificial joint made of light metal (titanium).
For more information on how hemarthrosis of the knee joint manifests itself and is treated after an injury, please visit our website at https://dobrobut.com/.
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