Thoracic spinal cord compression causing by Tophi: a case report and review of the literature
https://doi.org/10.52322/jocmbmh.120.01
Abstract
Introduction: The spinal tophaceous gout is rare. In clinical, the symptoms and signs of spinal gout are not specific so that making the diagnosis difficulty.
Objectives: We reported a case of thoracic spinal cord compression causing by tophi and present a brief review of the literature in order to approach to the diagnosis and treatment of spinal tophaceous gout.
Case presentation: A case of a 53-year-old male with many years history of polyarthritis causing by gout. He was presented with a weakness, numbness of bilateral lower extremities and urine retention. The thoracic MRI showed the mass compressing the spinal cord from the lamina and right facet joint at T1-T2 level. He was diagnosed with spinal cord compression suspected of a tumor and performed an operation to remove the tumor accompanied with laminecnomy and posterior pedicle fixation. The pathology result is the natri urate crystals.
Conclusions: The tophaceous gout can involve in any spine level but spinal cord compression causing by tophi is very rare. The clinical manifestation of spinal gout is not specific, but the diagnosis can be based on the medical history and symptoms of gout disease along with the neurological symptoms, a low signal mass on T1 and T2 - weighted MRI, intraarticular and juxtaarticular erosions on CT.
