title: Consecutive radiosynovectomy procedures at 6-monthly intervals behave independently in haemophilic synovitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies on the same group of patients investigated here demonstrated the effectiveness of radiosynovectomy in the treatment of chronic haemophilic synovitis even if one, two or three radiosynovectomy procedures (RS-1, RS-2, RS-3) may be necessary. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the joints' response to each radiosynovectomy procedure behaved independently or not.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty-six radiosynovectomies were performed in 104 joints of 78 people diagnosed with chronic haemophilic synovitis. The patient's mean age was 18 years. Fifty-eight patients required radiosynovectomy in a single joint, whereas 20 received treatment in more than one joint. Of the 104 joints subjected to radiosynovectomy, 33 were elbows, 47 knees and 24 ankles. Radiosynovectomy was carried out with either yttrium-90 or rhenium-186 (1-3 injections with 6-month intervals between them). Of the 104 joints, 68 required a single injection of the radioisotope (RS-1), 20 required two injections (RS-2) and 16 required three injections (RS-3). In eight cases (7.6%), the affected joints eventually required surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An analysis of seven variables (number of bleeding episodes, articular pain, range of motion in flexion and extension, muscle strength in flexion and extension, and synovial thickness by imaging) demonstrated that each consecutive radiosynovectomy behaves independently in haemophilic synovitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Each consecutive radiosynovectomy behaves independently in haemophilic synovitis. This finding had not been documented in the literature before the present study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain. ecrmerchan@gmx.es
authors.forename: Hortensia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De La Corte-Rodriguez
authors.forename: E Carlos
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Merchan
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Yuste
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012211:Rhenium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013585:Synovitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D015021:Yttrium Radioisotopes; D012211:Rhenium