Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy for Septic Ankle Arthritis Following Intractable Lateral Malleolar Bursitis: A Case Report

Abstract

A bursa is an obstructive sac filled with synovial fluid and usually occurs in any area of the body exposed to friction. The bursa of the ankle is not a normal anatomical structure and is caused by repetitive trauma, constant friction, or inflammatory disease of the ankle. Bursitis can occur in any bursa in the human body; however it rarely progresses to septic arthritis. We report a rare case of septic ankle arthritis following intractable lateral malleolar bursitis successfully treated with negative-pressure wound therapy.