Crystal arthropathy of the lumbar spine: a report of 4 cases.

Gout or pseudogout, caused by deposition of crystals, rarely affects the spine. We report 4 cases with gout or pseudogout in the lumbar spine. Two had cauda equina syndrome and another 2 had spinal stenosis. To avoid unnecessary surgery, this should be considered in the differential diagnosis when treating patients with histories of gout or pseudogout for spinal problems.