Injection or aspiration in prepatellar bursitis
Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy
Pre-patella Bursitis/Housemaid's Knee
Based on contributions from Dr Elspeth Wise and Dr Alan Walker on behalf of the Primary Care Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Medicine Society
Pre-patella Bursitis presents with localized erythema and swelling
- generally associated with friction at the site and can be caused by infection, gout/pseudo gout and can be associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis
- aspiration should be performed in cases of suspected infection but otherwise this is generally treated conservatively with advice to try to avoid any aggravating/precipitating activities
- corticosteroid injections are generally avoided due to lack of supporting evidence and the risk of adverse events.
To aspirate the bursa, the patient rests on a couch with their knee supported in extension.
A needle is inserted at a suitable point and the contents of the bursa removed.
Bursae of the knee:
Bursitis of the knee video - different types of bursitis
Reference:
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