Gastrocnemio-semimembranosus bursa and its relation to the knee joint. IV. Clinical considerations.

The frequency of communication between the gastrocnemio-semimembranosus bursa and the knee joint was investigated in a clinical material and in autopsy cases. The frequency was higher in the older age groups. No increase in this frequency or in the size of the bursa was found in patients with knee joint lesions at arthrography. By cineradiography, and in the majority of cases by conventional arthrography alone, a good idea of the flow between the joint and the bursa was obtained. A valvular mechanism between the joint and bursa was demonstrated in 5 cases.