[Ulcerating gout tophi. Surgical therapy in a patient with hyperuricemia, hyperlipidemia and alcohol abuse].

We report on a 51-year-old male patient who had been suffering from gouty arthritis and podagra with relapsing attacks of severe pain for the last 10 years. We treated two tophaceus deposits on the left heel with the CO2 laser and conventional enucleating surgery. These tophi had immobilized the patient for months and it had not been possible to control them by conservative therapy.