KNEE EFFUSION

Course overview

THE KNEE IS A HINGE JOINT SUSCEPTIBLE TO INJURY FROM TRAUMA, INFLAMMATION, INFECTION, AND DEGENERATIVE CHANGES. A KNEE EFFUSION MAY RESULT FROM ACUTE OR CHRONIC CONDITIONS. CAUSES RANGE FROM ACUTE TRAUMA TO CHRONIC SYSTEMIC DISEASE. RECOGNITION OF THE BASIC ANATOMY OF KNEE EFFUSIONS AND THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY IS ESSENTIAL TO MAKE AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS. IN THE KNEE JOINT, TRAUMA, OVERUSE, INFECTIONS, SYSTEMIC CAUSES, OR CHANGES IN OSTEOARTHRITIS MAY CAUSE THE EFFUSION. MAKING THE CORRECT DIAGNOSIS REQUIRES A THOROUGH HISTORY AND PHYSICAL EXAM. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WHO PRESENT WITH KNEE EFFUSION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR THOSE WITH THIS CONDITION.