Crystal shedding and acute pseudogout. An hypothesis based on a therapeutic failure

Four patients with chondrocalcinosis of the knees volunteered for joint lavage. Preliminary experiments indicated that disodium EDTA and magnesium ions were potent solubilizers of CPPD crystals. The procedure was a therapeutic failure in that insignificant amounts of CPPD were removed and all 4 subjects developed postlavage attacks of pseudogout. It is hypothesized that the acute attack of pseudogout is a result of crystal shedding and may be triggered by any factor that enhances CPPD solubility.