Ten cases of septic olecranon bursitis and two cases of septic prepatellar bursitis were treated in the period from 1975 to 1980 with antibiotics and percutaneous tube placement for suction-drainage and local antibiotic irrigation. All patients had positive bacterial cultures: Staphylococcus aureus in nine, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus in two, and Staphylococcus epidermidis in one. Intravenous antibiotics, local suction-drainage, and irrigation with a solution of 1% kanamycin and 0.1% polymyxin controlled the infection in each case. The antibiotic treatment averaged 19 days, compared with 24 days in a series in which suction-irrigation was not used. In contrast with studies in which aspiration or incision and drainage were performed, there were no complications or recurrences. Percutaneous suction-irrigation appears to be a safe, effective method of treatment that is particularly beneficial in severe cases of septic bursitis in which continuous drainage is desirable.