Pyoderma gangrenosum following an orthopedic surgical procedure

Postoperative and Peristomal Pyoderma Gangrenosum: Subtypes of Pyoderma Gangrenosum

Postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum and peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum are 2 subtypes of pyoderma gangrenosum. The diagnosis is made as a clinicopathologic correlation when assessing a rapidly progressing ulcer with irregular and undermined borders following a surgical procedure, trauma, or the creation of a stoma. Familiarity with the associated risk factors and distinguishing features of these disorders can facilitate prompt recognition, proper diagnosis, and the initiation of treatment. Management usually involves the use of corticosteroids and steroid-sparing agents as immunomodulators to shift the inflammatory neutrophilic dermatoses to chronic noninflammatory wounds and eventual healing.

An aggressive course of pyoderma gangrenosum mimicking bacterial osteomyelitis after open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture with a titanium plate

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare condition characterized by the development of aseptic, non-healing skin ulcers. Any skin trauma, such as a surgical incision, can trigger an outbreak of lesions.

Our case and literature review show that a physician should consider PG in every event of a non-healing, aseptic wound after surgery. The treatment of PG requires collaboration within a multidisciplinary team and immunosuppressive therapy is the first line of treatment, while surgical interventions should be avoided in the active stage of PG.

Pyoderma Gangrenosum After Total Hip Arthroplasty Associated with Administration of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor: A Case Report

CASE

A 69-year-old woman with myelodysplastic syndrome-related pancytopenia was administered granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) before total hip arthroplasty to prevent postoperative infection. One week postoperatively, she developed peri-incisional ecchymosis and associated leukocytosis. Over the next few weeks, surgical site infection was suspected; however, dermatologist evaluation and subsequent biopsy supported a diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum, which resolved after prompt steroid administration.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum should be included in the differential diagnosis when considerable postoperative ecchymosis and leukocytosis occur, particularly after preoperative G-CSF administration.

Pyoderma gangrenosum after orthopaedic or traumatologic surgery: a systematic revue of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a neutrophilic dermatosis characterised by a painful ulceration mimicking infection of the operative site. To this day, there is still no general agreement on the medical and surgical treatment of PG. This systematic review of the literature aims to summarise recent studies about post-operative PG in orthopaedic surgery to improve its medical and surgical management.

METHOD

In April 2017, we carried out an exhaustive review of the literature in MEDLINE, PubMed and Cochrane databases. Key words were pyoderma gangrenosum, orthopaedic surgery, and surgical wound infection. We identified 183 articles. After excluding articles reporting idiopathic PG, cases secondary to non-orthopaedic surgery, and cases about other subtypes of dermatosis, 30 studies were identified. We only included articles reporting PG after orthopaedic or trauma surgery.

RESULTS

Thirty-one cases of PG have been reported, 58% (18) of which were in women, whose mean age was 56.5 years. Clinical signs were constant, the most frequently affected site was lower limbs [77.4% (24)] and delay of symptom onset was two to 17 days. Systemic corticosteroid therapy was systematic, polyvalent immunoglobulins were used in two cases and immunosuppressive drugs in one. Negative pressure therapy was used in seven cases and hyperbaric oxygen in three.

DISCUSSION

Delayed diagnosis leads to one or more surgical revisions, which could have been avoided by using early and adapted medical treatment. Early onset of a painful and infected ulcer at the operating site in a patient at risk of PG is an indicator that dermatologist advice is recommended before surgical debridement. Surgical revision, outside the inflammatory phase and/or covered by a systemic corticosteroid therapy, does not lead to PG relapse.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV: Systematic revue of the literature.

Pyoderma gangrenosum or necrotising fasciitis? Diagnostic and therapeutic wanderings

A case of post-traumatic lower-limb pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) in a 77-year-old female is reported. The diagnosis of PG is frequently one of exclusion, and it is therefore unsurprising that the condition was initially mistaken for necrotising fasciitis then for necrotising bacterial dermo-hypodermitis. Medical and surgical treatment for those conditions proved ineffective. This fact, together with the atypical presentation, promoted a re-evaluation of the diagnosis. The clinical findings and investigation results converged to suggest PG, and a therapeutic trial was initiated. The good treatment response and negative findings from tests for other conditions established the diagnosis of post-traumatic PG.

Total hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fracture with pyoderma gangrenosum patient: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare inflammatory aseptic, ulcerative neutrophilic dermatosis which manifest as skin recurrent, painful ulcers.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 65-year-old man with pyoderma gangrenosum underwent left total hip arthroplasty because of femoral neck fractures. Glucocorticoid, antibiotic, anticoagulant drug, etc. were given in perioperative period. Complication of pyoderma gangrenosum was prevented successfully in perioperative period.

DISCUSSION

No consensus has been reached about whether to use glucocorticoid, as well as the dosage and administration, in perioperative periods for pyoderma gangrenosum patients as prophylactic means of wound complication.

CONCLUSION

We herein report a case of pyoderma gangrenosum patient underwent total hip arthroplasty, meanwhile raise the issue of management in perioperative period for pyoderma gangrenosum patient, especially explore series of standardized therapies for this disease during arthroplasty.

Postoperative Pyoderma Gangrenosum: A Clinical Review of Published Cases

Postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by PG at surgical incisions. It is often misdiagnosed as wound infection, and pathergy may complicate wound debridement. From September 1, 2013, through November 30, 2013, a literature search was conducted of articles published from January 1, 1978, through December 31, 2012. We referenced PubMed, MEDLINE, and Mayo Clinic Libraries using the keywords pyoderma gangrenosum, postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum, postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum, superficial granulomatous pyoderma, pathergic pyoderma, and pyoderma gangrenosum associated with surgery, incision, breast, and wound dehiscence. In addition, all titles from PubMed with the words pyoderma gangrenosum were reviewed manually for postoperative cases. Of 136 patients, 90 (66%) did not have associated systemic diseases. If a comorbidity was present, hematologic disorders were most common. In addition, 29% (28) of women had predisposing disease vs 53% (19) of men. Women had more frequent breast involvement (P<.001); chest involvement was more common in men (P=.005). Girls and women aged 13 to 64 years had more frequent breast involvement (P=.01). Sites were distributed equally for men regardless of age (P=.40). Antibiotic drug therapy was begun and debridement occurred in 90% (110 of 122 treated patients) and 73% (90 of 123 available patients), respectively. Postoperative PG has less association with systemic disease than its nonpostoperative counterpart. Antibiotic drug therapy is routinely initiated. Affected sites are often debrided, causing additional wound breakdown. Early diagnosis may prevent complications.

Pioderma gangrenoso tras una polectomía

El pioderma gangrenoso (PG) es una dermatosis no infecciosa y necrótica que puede ocurrir después de cualquier cirugía, aunque de forma poco frecuente en traumatología y menos aún en cirugía de la mano.

La baja sospecha diagnóstica y el retraso en su detección pueden llegar a tener consecuencias devastadoras, a nivel local y sistémico.

Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 61 años que, tras una polectomía de A1 en el dedo anular, desarrolla un PG resolviéndose con corticoides intravenosos.

Pyoderma Gangrenosum in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: Clinical and Histopathological Findings with a Seven-Year Follow-up: A Case Report

CASE

We describe the clinical and histopathological findings associated with a case of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) after revision total hip arthroplasty. The patient developed an expanding purple-red, necrotic, ulcerative lesion at the surgical site, which was initially suspected to be either a surgical-site infection or warfarin-induced skin necrosis. After treatment with empiric intravenous antibiotics, surgical debridement, and vacuum-assisted closure of the wound, the patient had a painless hip with a remodeled scar and was asymptomatic at the seven-year follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Confirmation of the diagnosis of surgical-site PG requires clinical-pathological correlation and familiarity with the PG skin lesion. Treatment of PG differs from treatment of infection; therefore, misdiagnosis and surgical treatment may exacerbate the clinical findings in PG.

Severe, Steroid-responsive, Myositis Mimicking Necrotizing Fasciitis following Orthopedic Surgery: A Pyoderma Variant with Myonecrosis

Summary:

Postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare neutrophilic dermatosis that may be confused for necrotizing fasciitis. The inflammatory response is triggered by the trauma of surgery and thus must be managed nonsurgically. Clinical and pathological findings in the 2 diseases can be identical, leading to misdiagnosis and massive surgical defects from the ensuing surgery. This report documents a severe case of postsurgical pyoderma following an elective rotator cuff repair presenting with myositis and myonecrosis. The patient was initially treated as having an infection, which resulted in multiple aggressive surgical debridements. Despite this, the patient continued to deteriorate and was in a critical and hemodynamically unstable condition. Following administration of high-dose intravenous corticosteroids, the patient made a dramatic recovery and went on to have internal fixation of the shoulder and closure of the wound with a combination of a free flap and a rotational flap. Extensive myositis, as seen in this case, has not been previously reported in postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum variants. Clinicians should be aware that the presence of myositis and myonecrosis should not preclude this diagnosis.