Infected Olecranon (elbow) bursitis
Discussion
Well, that was an interesting few days.
4th June - On a work trip to Finland, I noticed a hard painful red bump under the skin on my elbow. Like an idiot I picked it and eventually broke the skin. Feeling satisfied I had managed to get some gunk out I thought that would be the end of it.
5th June - I fly to UK to visit family for the weekend, lump remains, gets angrier and more painful. By the evening I have a temperature, feel lethargic, achey and go to bed early.
6th June - I attend an out of hours GP in the UK, he prescribes Flucloxacillin on the assumption it is an infect boil or hair follicle.
7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th the head develops with pus and bursts. No improvement to pain or redness though.
12th June - I go to my work doctor back in Switzerland who pulls a face, tells me I need to go to the walk in clinic that same day since it needs lancing. I go to the clinic, they also pull a face and say it needs lancing but they do not do it, it has to be at the hospital. I go to the hospital, after some checks I am diagnosed with infected olecranon bursitis and scheduled for emergency surgery to have my elbow bursa removed.
13th June - 2am in the morning, I am wheeled into the operating theatre for a general anaesthetic and operation. 4am I am awake with the operation complete. Arm bandaged up and in a support. 12 stitches where they opened me up from the bottom of my tricep to the bottom of my elbow.
14th June - My roommate is swiftly removed from the room and I am told that the biopsy revealed I had an MRSA infection in my elbow. I am now isolated in my room in the hospital while the infectious diseases team work out what to do and finish the sensitivity tests. No infection was detected in my blood thankfully.
15th June - My antibiotic is changed to Doxycyclin for the next 2 weeks and I am released home with my arm in a cast.
So yeh, feeling fine otherwise but shudder to think what might have happened if I had left it longer....
Also, I have pictures if you want to see pre and post....
4th June - On a work trip to Finland, I noticed a hard painful red bump under the skin on my elbow. Like an idiot I picked it and eventually broke the skin. Feeling satisfied I had managed to get some gunk out I thought that would be the end of it.
5th June - I fly to UK to visit family for the weekend, lump remains, gets angrier and more painful. By the evening I have a temperature, feel lethargic, achey and go to bed early.
6th June - I attend an out of hours GP in the UK, he prescribes Flucloxacillin on the assumption it is an infect boil or hair follicle.
7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th the head develops with pus and bursts. No improvement to pain or redness though.
12th June - I go to my work doctor back in Switzerland who pulls a face, tells me I need to go to the walk in clinic that same day since it needs lancing. I go to the clinic, they also pull a face and say it needs lancing but they do not do it, it has to be at the hospital. I go to the hospital, after some checks I am diagnosed with infected olecranon bursitis and scheduled for emergency surgery to have my elbow bursa removed.
13th June - 2am in the morning, I am wheeled into the operating theatre for a general anaesthetic and operation. 4am I am awake with the operation complete. Arm bandaged up and in a support. 12 stitches where they opened me up from the bottom of my tricep to the bottom of my elbow.
14th June - My roommate is swiftly removed from the room and I am told that the biopsy revealed I had an MRSA infection in my elbow. I am now isolated in my room in the hospital while the infectious diseases team work out what to do and finish the sensitivity tests. No infection was detected in my blood thankfully.
15th June - My antibiotic is changed to Doxycyclin for the next 2 weeks and I am released home with my arm in a cast.
So yeh, feeling fine otherwise but shudder to think what might have happened if I had left it longer....
Also, I have pictures if you want to see pre and post....
Edited by Pete102 on Wednesday 17th June 15:37
On behalf of all orthopaedic surgeons across the world, I am happy you are happy and I will accept the implied/translated pint you are offering.
I have drunk said pint on behalf of the gang tonight.
There was a man in my clinic today with a huge cancer in his leg and he cried a lot and I found it both rewarding and draining to help him and his wife through the discussion and plans. It ain't always about the money.
I have drunk said pint on behalf of the gang tonight.
There was a man in my clinic today with a huge cancer in his leg and he cried a lot and I found it both rewarding and draining to help him and his wife through the discussion and plans. It ain't always about the money.
Edited by The_Doc on Friday 19th June 22:15
The_Doc said:
On behalf of all orthopaedic surgeons across the world, I am happy you are happy and I will accept the implied/translated pint you are offering.
I have drunk said pint on behalf of the gang tonight.
There was a man in my clinic today with a huge cancer in his leg and he cried a lot and I found it both rewarding and draining to help him and his wife through the discussion and plans. It ain't always about the money.
I can honestly say the care I had was second to none, from the surgeon to the doctors, nurses and staff bringing meals. My daughter starts at Liverpool Uni in September on a nursing degree and honestly, I am so proud of what shes doing and who she will become. I have drunk said pint on behalf of the gang tonight.
There was a man in my clinic today with a huge cancer in his leg and he cried a lot and I found it both rewarding and draining to help him and his wife through the discussion and plans. It ain't always about the money.
Edited by The_Doc on Friday 19th June 22:15
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