Crystal-Induced Arthritis After Total Ankle Arthroplasty

Abstract

The causes of late-onset pain after total ankle replacement (TAR) are various, and include infection, subsidence, polyethylene spacer failure, osteolysis, and wear. There are few reports of late-onset pain caused by gouty attacks after total knee and hip arthroplasty. In addition, no research has reported gouty attacks after total ankle arthroplasty. Therefore, we report a case of a gouty attack after total ankle replacement. A 43-year-old man presented with pain after total ankle arthroplasty performed 5 years previously. We found a white-yellow crystalline deposit within the synovial tissue during ankle arthroscopy, confirmed by histologic examination.