Olecranon and prepatellar bursitis - Treating acute, chronic, and inflamed

Elbow and knee bursitis is common in both athletes and nonathletes and has three basic presentations: acute, chronic nonseptic, and chronic infected. Most acute swellings occur after trauma and can be treated with early aspir ation, compression, and padding. Chronic, nonseptic bursitis can usually be treated with conservative therapy and, occasionally, aspiration or cortico steroid injection, Inflamed bursae should be aggressively evaluated and tre ated. Some may require aspiration and decompression, and oral or intravenou s antibiotics should be started to prevent septicemia. Incision and drainag e is rarely needed but may be indicated for injuries that do not respond, S urgical excision of the bursa is recommended only for recalcitrant cases.