Crystal arthropathy of the lumbar spine

Description: Gout or pseudogout, caused by deposition of crystals, rarely affects the spine. We report 4 cases with gout or pseudogout in the lumbar spine. Two had cauda equina syndrome and another 2 had spinal stenosis. To avoid unnecessary surgery, this should be considered in the differential diagnosis when treating patients with histories of gout or pseudogout for spinal problems.
Crystal arthropathy of the lumbar spine: a report of 4 cases. Lam HY, Cheung KY, Law SW, Fung KY. J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2007 Apr;15(1):94-101 full text