tophus
9.9
A hard lump of uric acid crystals near a joint, found in long-term gout
- noun
- /ˈtɒfəs/
- Specialized
:
tofo
- After years of suffering from gout, she finally noticed a tophus forming around her elbow joint.
Examples
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Over the course of the last year, a tophus has appeared on my left big toe on the cross joint beneath the toenail.
Blog text (33) -
My only tophus, a little one on my little finger, is about 1/8 inch up from the joint (that never caused any pain).
Blog text (33) -
The tophus on his left toe was so large that it made it difficult for him to walk comfortably.
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The doctor explained that a tophus can develop in the ear, indicating advanced stages of gout.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A hard white lump of uric acid crystals that forms near joints in long-term gout
is the general name for such uric acid crystal deposits in advanced gout
Antonyms
How Large
Surface Forms
Etymology
Tophus comes from an old Greek word tophos that means 'stone' or 'lump'. That's why a tophus in gout is a hard, stone-like deposit around a joint or in the ear, a visible sign of long-standing disease.