The bursa on the outer side of the hip bone is called the trochanteric (say “TROH-kan-TAIR-ik”) bursa. Sometimes it can become swollen and painful. This condition is called bursitis. An injection into the bursa is a shot of medicine to reduce pain and swell
The procedure is performed in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. You will be asked to lie down on an X-ray table in a position that gives your doctor easy access to the hip joint. The area where the injection needs to be given is numbed with an anesthetic. A small needle is then accurately placed by your doctor into the bursa guided by real-time X-ray images (fluoroscopy). Before injecting the medicine, a contrast dye is injected through this needle into the joint to confirm that the medicine reaches the inflamed bursa. A combination of anesthetic and anti-inflammatory cortisone is then slowly injected into the bursa. A small dressing is then applied over the injection site to complete the procedure. The whole procedure usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes.
