Bursitis: General Considerations

Causes:

1) Trauma, especially repetitive.

2) Infections (eg, tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea).

3) Inflammatory rheumatic diseases (eg, rheumatoid arthritis, gout).

Superficial bursae swell and form fluctuant, mobile bulges under the skin.

The most frequently diagnosed types of bursitis include:

1) Semimembranosus bursitis leading to popliteal cyst (Baker cyst) formation.

2) Prepatellar bursitis.

3) Subacromial bursitis.

Use conservative treatment: decompression punctures with local glucocorticoid injections, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and physiotherapy. In some cases, particularly in recurrent disease, surgical treatment is indicated.