II. Mechanism

  1. Olecranon bursa overlies olecranon process
  2. Causes of Acute Olecranon Bursitis
    1. Direct Trauma (often repetitive)
    2. Hemodialysis patients in arm with fistula (likely due to Dialysis arm suppport)
    3. Rheumatoid Arthritis
    4. Gout
    5. Pseudogout

III. Signs

  1. Swelling over olecranon tip (usually painless, non-tender)
    1. No redness, warmth, limited range of motion or other signs of Septic Olecranon Bursitis
  2. Bursa sac fills with blood or clear fluid

V. Management: Preventing fluid reformation

  1. Ice applied to bursa for 20 minutes per hour
  2. Compression Dressing
  3. Avoid provocative activity (e.g. leaning on elbows)
  4. Refractory cases
    1. Olecranon Bursa Aspiration (risks of infection, fistula tract)
    2. Consider Olecranon Bursa Injection

VI. Prognosis

  1. Many acute lesions subside spontaneously

Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)

Related Studies

Ontology: Olecranon bursitis (C0263962)

Concepts Disease or Syndrome (T047)
ICD9 726.33
ICD10 M70.2
SnomedCT 425940002, 424548006, 156680002, 77299006, 270542002, 74859007, 239968000, 202930004, 63517006
English Bursitis of elbow region, Inflammation of bursa of olecranon (disorder), Inflammation of bursa of olecranon, Capped elbow, Miners' elbow, Student's elbow, olecranon bursitis (diagnosis), olecranon bursitis, elbow bursitis, miner's elbow, bursitis olecranon, bursitis elbow, bursitis of elbow, bursitis of elbow (diagnosis), Elbow bursitis, Elbow bursitis (& olecranon), Olecranon bursitis (disorder), Elbow bursitis (& olecranon) (disorder), Bursitis - elbow, Capped elbow (disorder), Shoe boil, Bursitis of elbow region (disorder), Miner's elbow, Miner's elbow (disorder), Olecranon bursitis, bursitis; elbow, bursitis; olecranon, elbow; bursitis, miner's; elbow, olecranon; bursitis, student's elbow, Bursitis of elbow
Dutch bursitis olecrani of elleboog, bursitis van de elleboog, bursitis; elleboog, bursitis; olecranon, elleboog; bursitis, mijnwerker; elleboog, olecranon; bursitis, Bursitis olecrani
French Bursite rétro-olécrânienne, Bursite du coude
German Bursitis des Ellbogenhoeckers, Bursitis olecrani, Ellenbogen-Bursitis
Portuguese Bursite olecraniana, Bursite do cotovelo
Spanish Bursitis del olécranon, bursitis del olécranon, inflamación de la bolsa serosa del olécranon (trastorno), codo del estudiante, inflamación de la bolsa serosa del olécranon, codo del minero, Bursitis de codo, bursitis olecraneana, bursitis del olécranon (trastorno), Capped elbow, Capped elbow (trastorno), bursitis del codo, codo de minero (trastorno), codo de minero
Japanese 肘頭部滑液包炎, チュウトウブカツエキホウエン, チュウカツエキホウエン, ヒジカツエキホウエン, 肘滑液包炎
Italian Borsite dell'olecrano, Borsite del gomito
Czech Burzitida lokte
Korean 팔꿈치머리 윤활낭염
Hungarian Olecranon bursitis, Könyök bursitis