The acute swollen knee: diagnosis and management

The acutely swollen knee is a common presentation of knee pathology in both primary care and the emergency department. The key to diagnosis and management is a thorough history and examination to determine the primary pathology, which includes inflammation, infection or a structural abnormality in the knee. The location of pain and tenderness can aid to localization of structural pathology even before radiological tests are requested, and indeed inform the investigations that should be carried out. Aspiration of an acutely swollen knee can aid diagnosis and help relieve pain. The management of the swollen knee depends on underlying pathology and can range from anti-inflammatory medication for inflammation to operative intervention for a structural abnormality.