[An unusual cause of chronic back symptoms: ochronosis].

A patient with low back pain due to ochronosis, a rare inherited metabolic disease, is described. The clinical picture of this disorder is exposed. Highlighted are the signs of recognition: early degenerative changes of, especially lumbar, intervertebral discs with linear calcifications and vacuum phenomena together with dark pigmentation of ear lobes and sclerae as well as (alkaline) urine turning black on prolonged standing.