Bursitis
Bursitis is inflammation or infection of a fluid-filled bursa, usually causing a localised swelling over a pressure point; the safety-critical task is to distinguish non-septic bursitis from septic bursitis, septic arthritis, crystal disease and a mass.
Definition
Bursitis is inflammation or infection of a bursa, a fluid-filled sac that reduces friction between skin, tendon, muscle and bone. It may be non-septic from pressure, trauma, crystals or inflammatory disease, or septic from bacterial infection. The diagnosis is clinical and requires assessment of the underlying joint and surrounding skin.
First principles
A bursa is superficial to the joint
A bursa reduces friction where skin, tendon or muscle moves over bone. Repetitive pressure, kneeling, leaning, trauma, inflammatory disease or crystals can make it painful and swollen. Typical superficial sites are the olecranon and prepatellar bursae; lateral hip pain labelled trochanteric bursitis is often greater trochanteric pain syndrome with gluteal tendinopathy rather than isolated bursal inflammation.
This page is exam revision material, not medical advice, and must not be used for patient care. Always check drug doses against the BNF and current guidance. Full disclaimer.