A carpet layer presents with a warm, tender swelling over the front of the knee, just superficial to the patella, after prolonged kneeling. There is no intra-articular effusion and knee movements are full apart from discomfort. Which structure is inflamed?

• A Suprapatellar bursa
• B Pes anserinus bursa
• C Infrapatellar bursa, deep to the patellar tendon
• D Prepatellar bursa ✓

Explanation

Prepatellar bursitis, classically called housemaid's knee, results from repeated friction between skin and patella during kneeling. Because it lies outside the fibrous capsule, the knee joint itself is not involved, so there is no true intra-articular effusion and flexion is limited mainly by pain over the swelling. The suprapatellar bursa communicates with the joint cavity, so its inflammation would produce a knee effusion, distinguishing it from this picture.

Reference: Bailey and Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.