Primary knee arthrodesis for severe crystalline arthropathy

Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis involving deposition of monosodium urate crystals within a diarthroidal joint. In this article, we report the case of a 54-year-old man who had severe, uncontrolled gout and presented with a 10-year history of knee pain. On consideration of all patient factors, including age, desired functional level, significant bone loss, periarticular soft-tissue masses, significant ligamentous instability, and difficult access to health care, knee arthrodesis was the surgery of choice. A knee fusion for gouty arthritis allowed the patient to have a stable, pain-free knee.