Sudden hypotonic paraparesis caused by tophaceous gout of the lumbar spine.
Gouty arthritis of the axial skeleton is rare, and neurological complications due to spinal cord or nerve root compression secondary to tophaceous deposits have been seldom reported. We describe a patient with chronic gouty arthritis who developed an acute paraparesis caused by tophaceous cauda equina compression. Surgical removal of the mass resulted in complete recovery.
Vervaeck
M
M
Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
De Keyser
J
J
Pauwels
P
P
Frecourt
N
N
D'Haens
J
J
Ebinger
G
G
D015210:Arthritis, Gouty / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009192:Myelography; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging