STUDENTS ELBOW( OLECRANON BURSITIS)
✓ Also known as :
– Olecranon bursitis
– Miner’s elbow
– Draughtsman elbow.
DEFINITION
✓ Olecranon bursitis is chronic inflammation of the Olecranon bursa.
✓ May be the result of repetitive minor injuries or irritants.
✓ Repeated trauma to the posterior aspect of elbow joint can also cause Olecranon bursitis.
✓ Occasionally found in patient with rheumatoid arthritis.
✓ Infection occurs due to chronic friction when the elbow is repeatedly kept over the table , bench etc for long period.
• Clinical features
✓ Swelling over the tip of Olecranon.
✓ There may be pain, if their is inflammation .
✓ It can be painful if their is association of bacterial infection.
• Investigation
✓ Aspiration and culture of bursal fluid is necessary to exclude the possibility of infection etiology.
✓ Commonest non- traumatic cause is gout, may be sizeable lump with calcification on X-ray.
• Treatment
(1) Conservative management
– Consists of NSAID’s , local steroids etc.
– Microcrystalline Bursitis has a good prognosis and symptoms are reduced after few days , whether treated or not.
– An infected bursa is treated with antibiotics and drainage of pus.
(2) Surgical treatment
– surgical excision is done in chronic cases.
– chronically enlarged bursa may b excised.
