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Knee locking due to a single gouty tophus
Alejandro Espejo-Baena1, Stephan Meschian Coretti, Jose Miguel Serrano Fernandez
1University Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Malaga, Spain. espejoreina@terra.es
The Journal of Rheumatology
|January 6, 2006
Summary
Knee locking, often caused by meniscus tears, can also stem from less common issues like gouty tophi. This case highlights an unusual cause of mechanical knee locking due to an intra-articular gouty tophus.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Rheumatology
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Knee locking is a debilitating condition often caused by mechanical issues like meniscal tears or functional problems related to pain.
- Mechanical knee locking is frequently associated with meniscal injuries, a common finding during arthroscopic procedures.
Observation:
- A patient presented with knee locking during extension, with initial clinical suspicion pointing towards an anterior horn lateral meniscus tear.
- Diagnostic and therapeutic arthroscopy was performed to investigate the suspected meniscal injury.
Findings:
- Arthroscopy revealed an intra-articular gouty tophus originating from the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus.
- The gouty tophus was identified as the cause of the mechanical knee locking, rather than a meniscal tear.
Implications:
- This case broadens the differential diagnosis for mechanical knee locking, emphasizing the need to consider intra-articular gouty tophi.
- Early identification and management of gouty tophi can prevent debilitating symptoms and joint damage.
- Highlights the importance of arthroscopy in diagnosing uncommon intra-articular pathologies causing knee locking.