Acute gouty arthritis in a patient after total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

Symptomatic gout in an artificial joint is exceptionally rare. We present a 68-year-old male patient who developed progressive knee pain and swelling one year after the cemented total arthroplasty of his left knee. The diagnosis was confirmed by crystal identification in the synovial fluid. Beside thorough workout to rule out infection in a painful and inflamed prosthetic knee, specific history of gout should be sought and fluid aspirate examined cytologically and under polarised light for crystal arthropathy.