Surgical management of pyoderma gangrenosum: case report and review.
BACKGROUND
Commonly used treatments for pyoderma gangrenosum are medical, with immunosuppressive agents employed most often.


OBJECTIVE
To report a case and discuss the indications for radical surgical treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum.


METHODS
Analysis of a case of Crohn's disease-associated pyoderma gangrenosum treated with immunosuppression followed by amputation, and a review of the literature on surgical management of pyoderma gangrenosum.


RESULTS
In unstable patients with intractable multiple medical problems, surgical treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum may be indicated by the existence of these life-threatening comorbidities. The recent literature suggests that surgical management of pyoderma gangrenosum may also be appropriate in other special circumstances.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical management, including amputation, may have a role in the management of pyoderma gangrenosum. Further research is needed to delineate precisely the circumstances and patient factors that are appropriate indications for such surgery.
Alam
M
M
Department of Dermatology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA. muradalam@hotmail.com
Grossman
M E
ME
Schneiderman
P I
PI
Blume
R S
RS
Benvenisty
A I
AI
D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004630:Emergencies; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009336:Necrosis; D017511:Pyoderma Gangrenosum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*