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•Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by a deficiency in an enzyme involved in the tyrosine and phenylalanine degradation.•AKU can indeed lead to the development of ochronotic spondyloarthropathy, and in rare cases, it can also contribute to disc herniation.•Surgeons should be aware that the presence of black cartilage during a discectomy is highly suggestive of ochronotic disc involvement.•To establish a definitive diagnosis, histopathologic and biochemical analyses of blood and urine are required, typically performed retrospectively.