Subcutaneous infrapatellar bursa
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Joachim Feger had no recorded disclosures.
View Joachim Feger's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Joachim Feger had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Joachim Feger's current disclosures- Superficial infrapatellar bursa
The subcutaneous or superficial infrapatellar bursa is one of many bursae surrounding the knee joint and shares the name with its deep counterpart.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
It is located in the subcutaneous tissue between the distal patellar tendon insertion at the tibial tuberosity and the overlying skin 1-4. It is flat and about 2 x 2 x 0.2 cm in size and not always present. In about 80% of the cases, bursae are characterized by a thin septum 1.
As the other bursae of the knee, it is a synovial-lined structure and usually collapsed 2 and may communicate with the prepatellar bursa 5.
Related pathology
The following pathologies are associated with the superficial infrapatellar bursa 1-4.
- traumatic hemorrhage
- inflammatory bursitis/clergyman’s knee
See also
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Viegas F, Aguiar R, Gasparetto E et al. Deep and Superficial Infrapatellar Bursae: Cadaveric Investigation of Regional Anatomy Using Magnetic Resonance After Ultrasound-Guided Bursography. Skeletal Radiol. 2006;36(1):41-6. doi:10.1007/s00256-006-0142-0 - Pubmed
- 2. Perdikakis E & Skiadas V. MRI Characteristics of Cysts and “cyst-Like” Lesions in and Around the Knee: What the Radiologist Needs to Know. Insights Imaging. 2013;4(3):257-72. doi:10.1007/s13244-013-0240-1 - Pubmed
- 3. Janzen D, Peterfy C, Forbes J, Tirman P, Genant H. Cystic Lesions Around the Knee Joint: MR Imaging Findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1994;163(1):155-61. doi:10.2214/ajr.163.1.8010203 - Pubmed
- 4. Hirji Z, Hunjun J, Choudur H. Imaging of the Bursae. J Clin Imaging Sci. 2011;1:22. doi:10.4103/2156-7514.80374 - Pubmed
- 5. Draghi F, Corti R, Urciuoli L, Alessandrino F, Rotondo A. Knee Bursitis: A Sonographic Evaluation. J Ultrasound. 2015;18(3):251-7. doi:10.1007/s40477-015-0168-z - Pubmed
Related articles: Anatomy: Lower limb
- skeleton of the lower limb
- joints of the lower limb
-
hip joint
- ligaments
- muscles
- additional structures
- hip joint capsule
- zona orbicularis
- iliotibial band
-
hip bursae
- anterior
- iliopsoas bursa (iliopectineal bursa)
- lateral
- subgluteal bursae
- greater trochanteric bursa (subgluteus maximus bursa)
- subgluteus medius bursa
- subgluteus minimus bursa
- gluteofemoral bursa
- subgluteal bursae
- postero-inferior
- anterior
- ossification centers
-
knee joint
- ligaments
- anterior cruciate ligament
- posterior cruciate ligament
- medial collateral ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- meniscofemoral ligament (mnemonic)
-
posterolateral ligamentous complex
- arcuate ligament
- patellar tendon and quadriceps tendon
- anterolateral ligament
- posterior oblique ligament
- oblique popliteal ligament
- medial patellofemoral ligament
- additional structures
- extensor mechanism of the knee
- groove for the popliteus tendon
- knee bursae
- anterior bursae
- medial bursae
- lateral bursae
- posterior bursae
- knee capsule
- lateral patellar retinaculum
- medial patellar retinaculum
- menisci
- pes anserinus (mnemonic)
- ossification centers
- ligaments
- tibiofibular joints
-
ankle joint
- regional anatomy
- medial ankle
- lateral ankle
- anterior ankle
- ligaments
- medial collateral (deltoid) ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- additional structures
- ankle bursae
- ossification centers of the ankle
- variants
- regional anatomy
- foot joints
- subtalar joint
- mid-tarsal (Chopart) joint
-
tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) joint
- ligaments
- intermetatarsal joint
- metatarsophalangeal joint
- interphalangeal joint
- ossification centers
-
hip joint
- spaces of the lower limb
-
muscles of the lower limb
- muscles of the pelvic group
- muscles of the thigh
- muscles of the leg
- anterior compartment of the leg
- posterior compartments of the leg
- lateral compartment of the leg
- muscles of the foot
- dorsal muscles
- plantar muscles
- 1st layer
- 2nd layer
- 3rd layer
- 4th layer
- accessory muscles of the lower limb
- accessory gluteal muscles
-
accessory muscles of the ankle
- accessory peroneal muscles
- accessory flexor digitorum longus muscle
- accessory soleus muscle
- peroneocalcaneus internus muscle
- tibiocalcaneus internus muscle
- extensor hallucis capsularis tendon
- anterior fibulocalcaneus muscle
- accessory extensor digiti secundus muscle
- tibioastragalus anticus of Gruber muscle
- vascular supply of the lower limb
- arterial supply of the lower limb
- venous drainage of the lower limb
- innervation of the lower limb
- lymphatic system of the lower limb
- lymphatic pathways
- anteromedial group
- anterolateral group
- posteromedial group
- posterolateral group
- lower limb lymph nodes
- lymphatic pathways