Surgical Experience from the Phase III STASEY Trial of Emicizumab Prophylaxis in Persons with Hemophilia A with FVIII Inhibitors: Final Analysis

Background: Emicizumab, a bispecific monoclonal antibody, bridges activated factor (F) IX and FX, replacing the function of missing activated FVIII in persons with hemophilia A (PwHA). The Phase IIIb, multicenter, single-arm STASEY study (NCT03191799) assessed the safety and efficacy of emicizumab prophylaxis in PwHA with FVIII inhibitors. Surgical experiences in STASEY are reported here. Methods: Following informed consent and ethics committee approval, PwHA aged ≥12 years with FVIII inhibitors received 3 mg/kg/week emicizumab for 4 weeks (loading dose), then 1.5 mg/kg/week for the remaining 2-year treatment period. Minor and major surgeries were managed per the investigators' discretion. The type and number of procedures performed, additional prophylaxis, and frequency and management of postoperative bleeds were analyzed. Surgeries occurring up to 28 days after the last dose of emicizumab were included, due to emicizumab's ~28-day half-life (Emicizumab Prescribing Information, United States Food and Drug Administration, 2017). Surgeries were documented using an electronic case report form by the treating physicians and classified as minor or major based on manual medical review (Santagostino, et al. Haemophilia, 2015). Bleed and prophylactic hemophilia medication data were recorded in the electronic Bleed Medication Questionnaire by participants. Case narratives were provided by trial investigators. Results: Overall, 46 patients reported ≥1 on-study surgery. Thirty-seven patients had 56 minor surgeries (central venous access device [CVAD], n=9; dental, n=20; joint, n=4; other, n=23) (Figure), one of which (skin laceration and suture insertion on Day 9) was performed during the loading phase. Twenty-four surgeries (42.9%) were managed with additional prophylactic medications (Table). Of these, 11/24 (45.8%) resulted in postoperative bleeds, of which 6/11 were treated (54.5%). Of surgeries managed without additional prophylactic medications, 15/32 (46.9%) resulted in postoperative bleeds, of which 5/15 (33.3%) were treated. A total of 13 patients had 22 major on-study surgeries (arthroplasty, n=13; other, n=9). 'Other' included hemorrhoid operations, coronarography, sigmoidectomy, colostomy, laparotomy and polypectomy. Eighteen (81.8%) major surgeries, including all arthroplasties, were managed with additional prophylactic medications (Table). Of these, 12/18 (66.7%) resulted in postoperative bleeds (including 10/13 arthroplasties), of which six (50.0%) were treated (all arthroplasties). Four (18.2%) major surgeries were managed without additional prophylactic medication, including three hemorrhoid operations in one patient, and a coronarography in a patient with acute myocardial infarction. One hemorrhoid operation resulted in a postoperative treated bleed. Major surgeries included a 55-year-old male with Grade 4 device dislocation of left knee prosthesis on Day 7, who was diagnosed with recurrent infection and prosthesis misalignment on Day 62. Amputation of the left leg above the knee was performed, with treatment including tranexamic acid and rFVIIa. A 61-year-old male with left knee prosthesis infection underwent left knee arthrodesis on Day 457, vacuum-assisted closure therapy on Day 495, skin grafting on Day 512, and left knee arthrodesis with skin flap placement on Day 527. Throughout these surgeries, the individual experienced recurrent joint bleeding and received rFVIIa. Neither of these individuals had a change in their study treatment due to these events. No thrombotic events (TEs) or thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) related to surgeries were observed. Conclusions: In the STASEY study of PwHA with FVIII inhibitors receiving emicizumab prophylaxis, most minor surgical procedures were performed without additional prophylactic coagulation factor and did not result in postoperative treated bleeds. Therefore, emicizumab alone provided adequate hemostatic coverage for some PwHA undergoing certain types of minor surgery, such as tooth extraction and CVAD removal. Major surgeries were safely performed with additional coagulation prophylaxis. Management of surgeries with rFVIIa did not result in TE or TMA. In case of bleeds, a bleed management plan should be in place. Effects of emicizumab on coagulation and assays may persist for up to 6 months after the last dose, which may be relevant when planning postoperative treatment. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Castaman: Uniqure: Honoraria; Bayer: Honoraria; Sobi: Honoraria; CSL Behring: Honoraria; Novo Nordisk: Honoraria; Kedrion: Honoraria; LFB: Honoraria; Grifols: Honoraria; Werfen: Honoraria; Biomarin: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Honoraria. Windyga: Swixx BioPharma: Honoraria; Octapharma: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sobi: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi-Aventis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Werfen: Honoraria; Bayer AG: Honoraria; Aspen: Honoraria; Alfasigma: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria, Research Funding; Shire: Honoraria, Research Funding; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Sanofi/Genzyme: Honoraria, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Honoraria, Research Funding; Alexion: Honoraria; CSL Behring: Honoraria; Rigel Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Honoraria, Research Funding; Baxalta: Honoraria, Research Funding. Alzahrani: Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria; King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre: Current Employment. Robson: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment, Ended employment in the past 24 months. Sanabria: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment, Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company. Howard: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Jiménez-Yuste: Octapharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sobi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; BioMarin: Consultancy; CSL Behring: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; NovoNordisk: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Grifols: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Sanofi: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding.

Fracture in an arthrodesed Charcot’s knee joint

Charcot’s joint is a type of neuro-arthropathy, where asymmetrical damage of the involved joint happens haphazardly, without following any described pattern. We present a rare case of Charcot’s joint involving the knee joint in an adult male following spina bifida. His knee joint was successfully fused after two surgeries. Later, he sustained a fracture through the arthrodesis after a fall, which we managed surgically. The fracture through the knee arthrodesis was managed surgically by an open reduction and internal fixation, using a 14-hole broad low contact dynamic compression locking plate with bone grafting. Union was achieved at the knee arthrodesis site in 6 months. Fracture through a fused knee requires surgical management. Re-arthrodesis was done using a stable fixation. Postoperative rehabilitation should include protected weight bearing with braces and splints until a sound bony union is achieved.

Fusion rate of 89% after knee arthrodesis using an intramedullary nail: a mono-centric retrospective review of 48 cases

Purpose Knee arthrodesis is an established procedure for limb salvage in cases of recurrent infection, total knee arthroplasty soft tissue defect, poor bone stock or a deficient extensor mechanism. Surgical options include compression plate, external fixator and arthrodesis nail. Different types of nail exist: long fusion nail, short modular nail and bridging nail. This study presents the results on knee arthrodesis using different types of intramedullary nails. The aim is to assess if a specific type of nail has a better fusion rate, clinical outcome and lower complication rate. Methods A mono-centric retrospective study of 48 knees arthrodesis was performed between 2000 and 2018. 15 T2™ Arthrodesis Nail, 6 OsteoBridge® Knee Arthrodesis and 27 Wichita® fusion nail were used. The mean clinic and radiological follow-up was 9.8 ± 3.8 years (2.6–18 years). Results Fusion rate was 89.6%. Time to fusion was 6.9 months. Mean Parker score was 6.9/9 points. Visual Analogic Scale was 1.9. The Wichita® fusion nail showed better results in terms of fusion, time to fusion and clinical outcome measured by Parker score and VAS but without statistical significance. The early revision rate was 10.4% and 20.8% presented a late complication requiring a surgery, due to nonunion or infection. 93.3% of infection was cured. Two patients live with a fistula (4.2%) and 1 was amputated (2.1%). Conclusion Although burdened by a big complication rate, knee arthrodesis with an intramedullary nail provides satisfactory results and is a good alternative to above-knee-amputation. The Wichita® fusion nail shows a tendency to better results compared to the two other nails. Level of evidence Case series, level IV