Management and outcome of infective prepatellar bursitis

Forty seven cases of prepatellar bursitis are reported. Twenty one patients had sustained a recent injury with a break in the skin which had caused the infection and seventeen patients were employed in jobs which involved kneeling. Oral antibiotics proved to be inadequate treatment in many cases. Splintage and intravenous antibiotics with or without aspiration of the bursa were usually successful in treating the condition, although nine patients required surgical drainage of the bursa. Twelve patients continued to have symptoms months or years after the infection, particularly those with preexisting chronic bursitis, or those who kneeled at work. There was little difference in the results between the different treatment groups.