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prepatellar bursitis ('housemaid's knee')
Etiology:
- recurrent trauma such as kneeling
- infection
- gout
Epidemiology:
- commonly occurs in wrestlers, carpet layers, plumbers
Pathology:
- septic prepatellar bursitis may occur
Clinical manifestations:
1) localized tenderness & edema anterior to the patella
2) symptoms exacerbated by kneeling
3) prepatellar swelling may limit flexion of knee
4) pain may be noted with full flexion of the knee
5) pain usually localized near the lower end of the patella
6) erythema may be observed [2]
Special laboratory:
- aspiration of bursa both diagnostic & therapeutic [2]
- all patients [2]; only if infection suspected [6]
- risk of introducing infection
Management: (see bursitis)
- avoid kneeling
- prepatellar bursectomy
- prevention: wear knee pads if occupation requires kneeling
Related
prepatellar bursa
General
bursitis
References
- Saunders Manual of Medical Practice, Rakel (ed), WB Saunders,
Philadelphia, 1996, pg 673-74
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, 15, 16,
17, 18, 19. American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998, 2009,
2012, 2015, 2018, 2021.
- Wikipedia: Prepatellar bursitis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prepatellar_bursitis
- Allen KL, Lorenzo CT
Medscape: Prepatellar Bursitis
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/309014-overview
- Baumbach SF, Lobo CM, Badyine I, Mutschler W, Kanz KG.
Prepatellar and olecranon bursitis: literature review and
development of a treatment algorithm.
Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2014 Mar;134(3):359-70. Review.
PMID: 24305696
- NEJM Knowledge+ Rheumatology