Medical and surgical management of paraneoplastic pyoderma gangrenosum--a case report and review of the literature

Acta Clin Belg. 2010 Jan-Feb;65(1):37-40. doi: 10.1179/acb.2010.005.

Abstract

We present a case of a 44-year-old male with pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) presenting simultaneously with diagnosis of acute leukemia. His skin disease was stabilized with corticosteroids and most lesions cleared after chemotherapy-induced remission of the malignancy, but the largest lesion remained necrotic. Surgical treatment of the large necrotic ulcer included debridement followed by split-thickness skin graft while maintaining corticoid therapy. Unfortunately, relapse of the pyoderma gangrenosum with bullous lesions heralded relapse of the ultimately fatal malignancy. This case illustrates: (1) PG presenting simultaneously with a haematologic malignancy (2) Relapse with atypical bullous lesions with return of the malignancy and (3) The use of surgical modalities in managing patients with PG, a disease notorious for surgical complications.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / diagnosis
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / diagnosis
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / drug therapy*
  • Paraneoplastic Syndromes / surgery*
  • Pyoderma Gangrenosum / diagnosis
  • Pyoderma Gangrenosum / drug therapy*
  • Pyoderma Gangrenosum / surgery*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Immunosuppressive Agents