Case report
Multiarticular chronic tophaceous gout with severe and multiple ulcerations: a case report
1 First Department of Surgery, 417 NIMTS Veterans Administration Hospital of Athens, Monis Petraki 10-12, Athens, 11521,Greece
2 Department of Dermatology, 417 NIMTS Veterans Administration Hospital of Athens, Greece
3 Department of Rheumatology, 417 NIMTS Veterans Administration Hospital of Athens, Greece
Journal of Medical Case Reports 2011, 5:397 doi:10.1186/1752-1947-5-397
Published: 19 August 2011Abstract
Introduction
Gout is a common inflammatory arthritis caused by articular precipitation of monosodium urate crystals. It usually affects the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the foot and less commonly other joints, such as wrists, elbows, knees and ankles.
Case presentation
We report the case of a 75-year-old Caucasian man with tophaceous multiarticular gout, soft-tissue involvement and ulcerated tophi on the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the left foot, on the first interphalangeal joint of the right foot and on the left thumb.
Conclusion
Ulcers due to tophaceous gout are currently uncommon considering the positive effect of pharmaceutical treatment in controlling hyperuricemia. Surgical treatment is seldom required for gout and is usually reserved for cases of recurrent attacks with deformities, severe pain, infection and joint destruction.
