Bursitis

Figure 69.1 Red, swollen olecranon bursa. (From Resident and Staff Physician, March 2006.)

Diagnosis of septic bursitis requires aspiration of fluid for microscopy, culture, cell counts, and glucose (Table 69.1).

Table 69.1 Findings in bursal fluid related to causes of bursitis

Finding	Normal	Trauma	Sepsis	Rheumatoid inflammation	Microcrystalline inflammation
Color	Clear yellow	Bloody xanthochromic	Yellow, cloudy	Yellow, cloudy	Yellow, cloudy
WBC	0–200	≤ 5000	1000–200 000	1000–20 000	1000–20 000
RBC	0	Many	Few	Few	Few
Glucose	Normal ^a	Normal^a	Decreased	Decreased (slight)	Variable
Gram stain, culture	Negative	Negative	Positive	Negative	Negative

Abbreviations: WBC = white blood cell; RBC = red blood cell.

^a Fluid glucose/blood glucose = 0.6–1.

Therapy is started following a decision as to whether the inflammation is infectious or noninfectious (Figure 69.2

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Tags: Clinical Infectious Disease

Jun 18, 2016 | Posted by admin in INFECTIOUS DISEASE | Comments Off