An Unusually Massive Hemorrhagic Superficial Infrapatellar Bursa Excised in a One-stage Procedure: Case Report

INTRODUCTION: Superficial infrapatellar bursitis may be traumatic, inflammatory, or infectious. It rarely attains massive dimensions. Open excision can be performed as a one-stage or a two-stage procedure, and endoscopy can be an alternative. We report a chronic, unusually massive, hemorrhagic infrapatellar bursa which we resected totally in a single stage procedure with no significant complications. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old male farmer presented with a chronic massive swelling in front of the right knee which first appeared 4 years earlier and had no effect on his general condition. The mass was excised in a one-stage procedure and it was found to be a hemorrhagic bursitis. The wound healed uneventfully and, on follow-up 7 weeks later, the patient was able to perform full flexion and extension of the knee. CONCLUSION: Two-stage procedures for excision are effective, but one-stage procedures are equally effective in chronic cases, provided the dissection is performed meticulously and atraumatically.