Tophaceous gout of the lumbar spine mimicking pyogenic discitis.
BACKGROUND
Gout of the spine is very rare. Forty-one cases of gout affecting the spine have been reported.


OBJECTIVE
To present a patient with tophaceous gout of the lumbar spine mimicking pyogenic discitis.


METHODS
Case report.


METHODS
The medical record, including operative notes, progress notes, discharge summary, clinical notes, radiological study, and pathological studies was reviewed.


RESULTS
The patient had acute low back pain and radiculopathy with high spiking fever. Therefore, pyogenic discitis was suspected. However, histological diagnosis revealed tophaceous gout.


CONCLUSIONS
Tophaceous gout of the spine is very rare. However, when a patient presents with acute back pain and fever, spinal gout should be considered, particularly in a patient with a previous history of hyperuricemia or gout.
Suk
Kyung-Soo
KS
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung-Hee University, Seoul, Korea. sks111@khmc.or.kr
Kim
Ki-Tack
KT
Lee
Sang-Hun
SH
Park
Sung-Woo
SW
Park
Yong-Koo
YK
D000493:Allopurinol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006073:Gout / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007796:Laminectomy; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D006074:Gout Suppressants; D000493:Allopurinol; D003078:Colchicine