Patient/caregiver was educated on complications of unresolved gout as follows:
Damage to the cartilage:
- Articular cartilage minimizes the friction between the joints and makes the movement easier and pain free.
- Chronic inflammation due to unresolved gouty arthritis leads to complete lysis of the articular cartilage resulting in loose tissue material.
- Also, total shrinking of the joint space between the bone surfaces can occur, resulting in bone on bone situation, with extreme pain and tenderness.
Tophi formation:
- Excess uric acid can get deposited as needle-shaped crystals, called tophi, in various joints, body parts like kidneys and heart valves, and soft tissues of the body, such as, under the skin.
- These crystals contribute to progressive inflammation and damage at the deposited sites, worsening the outcome further for individuals with gout.
Chronic ulcer formation:
- Progressive growth of tophi deposited under the skin can result in erosion of skin surface, leading to development of skin ulcers.
- Continuing inflammation at these sites can make the ulcers hard to heal.
Bone fracture:
- Chronic exposure of the bone and joint to inflammation and injury leads to severe damage to the structure of bone, thus weakening the framework, resulting in fracture of the bone.
