Ultrasound-guided percutaneous lavage of calcific bursitis of the medial collateral ligament of the knee: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Calcification of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee is rare. The literature reports no positive outcomes when conservative treatment has been followed. This paper reports a case of such calcification and its treatment using ultrasound-guided percutaneous lavage (UGPL). METHODS: A 66-year-old patient presented with medial knee pain. X-ray, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance (MR) examinations revealed calcific bursitis of the MCL, which was treated by UGPL. RESULTS: One month after treatment the patient was asymptomatic. X-ray, ultrasound, and MR examinations confirmed the almost complete disappearance of the calcification; only very tiny fragments remained. CONCLUSIONS: Calcific bursitis of the MCL of the knee is very uncommon, but should be taken into account in differential diagnoses for medial knee pain. UGPL is proposed as a treatment for this condition.