Endoscopic treatment of prepatellar bursitis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Minimally Invasive Procedures

Background:

• Prepatellar bursitis often requires operative treatment for intractable cases.
• Skin complications are the most frequent issue following surgical intervention.
• Conservative treatments may fail, necessitating alternative surgical strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of outpatient endoscopic surgery for traumatic prepatellar bursitis.
• To assess the outcomes of arthroscopic bursectomy under local anesthesia.
• To determine the complication rate and functional recovery after the procedure.

Main Methods:

• A protocol of outpatient endoscopic surgery under local anesthesia was proposed for traumatic prepatellar bursitis.
• Sixty patients with failed nonoperative treatment underwent the procedure between September 1996 and February 2001.
• The surgery involved 2-3 mini-arthroscopic portals with minimal or no sutures, followed by an average 36.3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• All 60 patients achieved symptom-free status and regained full knee function.
• No patients experienced local tenderness or hypoesthesia around the surgical sites.
• Radiographic and sonographic examinations confirmed no recurrence of prepatellar bursitis.

Conclusions:

• Outpatient arthroscopic bursectomy under local anesthesia is effective for treating post-traumatic prepatellar bursitis.
• The procedure yields satisfactory cosmetic and functional outcomes.
• This minimally invasive technique provides a viable alternative after failed conservative treatments.