Asymptomatic alkaptonuria and degenerative disc herniation report of two rare cases

Abstract

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is an uncommon disorder which is inherited as an autosomal recessive condition. Although intervertebral disc degeneration can be detected in the expected course of AKU, revealing of the disease by black disc color change in old patients without any other clinical manifestation is an extremely uncommon condition. We report two cases of neglected, asymptomatic and unknown AKU presented with degenerative disc disorder. The resected disc materials were dark. As a result clinicians should be aware of these extremely rare types of metabolic multisystem disorders and their association with dark herniated disc.

Keywords

• Department of Neurosurgery
• Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
• Tabriz
• Iran