Synoviorthesis with 198Au colloid gold in haemophilia patients. A preliminary report.

In 1988-1989 fifteen patients with severe haemophilia A and recurrent bleedings into the knee joint, aged from 19 to 44 years were treated by an intraarticular injection of 198Au colloid gold. So far 10 of them were assessed after 6 months follow-up. In 6 cases cesseation and in 2 cases reduction in number and volume of bleedings were observed. Only in 2 patients the frequency of haemarthroses remained unchanged. No significant difference in tracer uptake was observed between pretreatment 99mTc-pertechnate gamma scans of the knee joints and controls completed 6 months after the radiogold injections. It is worthy to stress the lower costs of the 198Au synoviorthesis as compared with surgical synovectomy of the knee joint. The radioisotope method is also much less traumatic to the patient than the surgical one.