The prepatellar bursa is a subcutaneous bursa lying anterior to the lower half of the patella and the upper patellar tendon, between the skin and the anterior patellar surface. It allows free skin movement over the patella during kneeling and is the bursa most commonly affected by traumatic bursitis (housemaid's knee).
| Location | Between the skin and the anterior surface of the lower patella and upper patellar tendon |
|---|---|
| Nearby |
|
Allows the skin over the front of the knee to move freely over the patella during knee flexion and kneeling
Prepatellar bursitis (housemaid's knee, carpet layer's knee) is the most common knee bursa to be clinically inflamed, caused by repeated kneeling in carpet layers, gardeners, and roofers. It presents as a fluctuant anterior patellar swelling that is separate from the joint (joint range of motion preserved). Acute traumatic bursitis resolves with aspiration and padding; aspirated fluid may be clear, bloody after trauma, or purulent in infection. Septic prepatellar bursitis, most often from Staphylococcus aureus entering through a skin abrasion, requires aspiration, culture and antibiotics, with surgical drainage for refractory cases. Chronic bursitis may require bursectomy. It must be distinguished from a knee joint effusion by its subcutaneous location anterior to the patella.
Fluid-filled swelling directly over the patella from repetitive kneeling and friction, generally painless unless infected.
Infection of the bursa, usually with Staphylococcus aureus after a skin breach, producing redness, warmth and a tense swelling without joint involvement, treated with aspiration, culture and antibiotics, and drainage if it fails to settle.
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