Ipsilateral hip and knee joints ochronotic arthropathy treated by total joint replacement, a case report

Background Ochronotic arthropathy affecting the hip and knee joints is one of the musculoskeletal manifestations of alkaptonuria which results from a tyrosine amino acid metabolism disorder. The condition has no definitive management; however, end-stage joint arthritis is well treated by total joint replacement. Case presentation We present a case of a healthy male patient who presented with left hip and bilateral knee (more on the left side) progressive pain and limitation of motion how was diagnosed as having advanced arthritis and was treated by total hip and total knee replacement for the left hip and knee joints respectively. Intraoperatively, the tissues had blackish discoloration characterizing ochronosis. This patient was diagnosed as having ochronotic arthropathy based on the intraoperative findings. Conclusions Accurate diagnosis of ochronotic arthropathy could only be reached intraoperatively; furthermore, end-stage joint arthritis could be treated efficiently by total joint replacement surgery.