Bursitis in the lower end of the stump after below-knee amputation: A case report

Abstract

We report a case of large bursitis in the lower end of the stump after below-knee amputation. It is the case of a 48-year-old man who has diabetes mellitus. He had undergone a below-knee amputation for gas gangrene. After he got the first below-knee prosthesis, when he did an outpatient visit at regular intervals, a large mass had formed on tibial end of his stump. As a result of various examination, we diagnosed the mass as adventitious bursitis. We tried to treat the bursitis with the aspiration of the bursa and reforming the prosthetic socket repeatedly. We eventually treated the bursitis with the aspiration of the bursa, making another new socket and additionally modifying the socket. At the early stage after limb amputation, the shape of the stump is easy to change. The main reason for the occurrence of adventitious bursitis is incompatibility between the stump and the prosthetic socket. It is important that lower-limb amputees wear their prostheses in the good fitting.