Early Detection of Post-Traumatic Heterotopic Ossification in Bleeding Disorders Using Ultrasound: A Multi-Center Case Series

The post-traumatic formation of myotendinous heterotopic ossification or myositis ossificans traumatica has been an unforeseen complication of muscle contusion-related hematoma in people with hemophilia and von Willebrand's disease. While ultrasound imaging has revolutionized the detection of hemarthrosis and hemarthropathy in bleeding disorders, its clinical use has expanded to the detection of inter- and intramuscular hematomas, as well as the formation of traumatically induced heterotopic ossification. This retrospective multi-center case series includes 29 cases of post-traumatic heterotopic ossification from 9 hemophilia treatment centers, highlighting the effectiveness of high-definition point-of-care ultrasonography for its early detection in people with bleeding disorders.