Gouty tenosynovitis simulating an infection. A case report.

Gouty tenosynovitis in the hand may be misdiagnosed as infectious or rheumatoid synovitis. Our case initially was treated as infectious tenosynovitis, but at reoperation gouty deposits were found penetrating the flexor tendon sheath. Tenosynovectomy and excision of intratendinous tophi were performed with a good result. Gouty synovitis is diagnosed in specimens fixed with ethanol because formalin destroys the typical crystals of urate.