Management of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum

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.

Perioperative management and clinical outcomes of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum

Peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum is an uncommon subtype of pyoderma gangrenosum mainly affecting stoma sites of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. While surgical treatments are often used to assist healing, little is known about the relationship between surgical interventions and the rate of recurrence of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum. The aim of this study was to identify patient and clinical factors associated with peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum recurrence following surgical intervention. A multi-institutional retrospective case series and literature review was conducted to evaluate patient characteristics and perioperative treatment. Patients of any age with peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum undergoing surgical operations related to their pyoderma gangrenosum or due to another comorbidity were included. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize demographic information. Associations were evaluated using Wilcoxon's rank-sum test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical data. Thirty-seven cases were included, 78.3% of which had a history of inflammatory bowel disease. Overall, 13 (35.1%) cases experienced recurrence at 30 days. There was no significant association identified between patient demographics, stoma location, surgical intervention, or perioperative treatment with rate of recurrence at 30 days post-operation. While no clinical risk factors or treatments were associated with recurrence, our work underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to this disease to address gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and surgical components of treatment.

Wound Debridement in Pyoderma Gangrenosum

BACKGROUND

Wound debridement improves healing in a variety of acute and chronic ulcers. However, there is concern that debridement may trigger pathergy and worsen pyoderma gangrenosum (PG).

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether published evidence supports conservative wound debridement for PG.

DATA SOURCES

The authors reviewed the literature published in MEDLINE through January 2023 using the search germs "pyoderma gangrenosum" and "debridement."

STUDY SELECTION

Articles reporting sharp surgical debridement or maggot debridement for PG were included in the review. The authors also searched the reference sections of the reviewed articles for additional reports on debridement for PG.

DATA EXTRACTION

Clinical data regarding patient status, procedures performed, and patient outcomes were extracted from the selected articles.

DATA SYNTHESIS

There are multiple reports of uncontrolled, active-phase PG wounds worsening after aggressive excisional debridement of viable inflamed tissues. In contrast, there is no evidence indicating that conservative debridement of nonviable necrotic tissue worsens PG wounds, regardless of the disease activity. There are multiple reports of successful debridement and surgical grafting for PG in remission.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no evidence in favor of or against using conservative debridement of nonviable necrotic tissue for a PG wound. Therefore, it should not be considered contraindicated, even in the active phase of the disease.

Peristomal Pyoderma Gangrenosum in a Rectal Cancer Patient With an Ileostomy: A Case Study

BACKGROUND

Peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum (PPG) is a rare complication mainly associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Although it has also been found in patients with an ileostomy with rectal cancer, the best treatment options in this context have not been precisely elucidated.

CASE

This case report describes the importance of a multidisciplinary treatment approach for a rare case of PPG around a protective ileostomy resulting from rectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Early diagnosis of PPG is imperative to avoid further extension of the lesion. Aggressive management with a multidrug treatment, both topical and systemic, is recommended in severe cases. Close monitoring of the response is necessary, given the variability in the effectiveness of the treatments.

Postoperative Considerations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often multidimensional, requiring both medical and surgical therapies at different times throughout the course of the disease. Both medical and surgical treatments may be used in the acute setting, during a flare, or in a more elective maintenance role. These treatments should be planned as complementary and synergistic. Gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons should collaborate to create a cohesive treatment plan, arranging the sequence and timing of various treatments. This article reviews the anticipated postoperative recovery after surgical treatment of IBD, possible postoperative complications, and considerations of timing surgery with medical therapy.

A novel topical therapy for resistant and early peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum

Peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum (PPG) is an under-recognised and difficult condition to treat. We describe a case series using a novel topical combination therapy that promotes wound healing and allows for adhesion of the stoma appliance. A crushed oral prednisolone tablet mixed with Stomahesive Protective Powder (ConvaTec) was applied topically to seven patients with PPG and resulted in pain relief and wound healing in six of seven patients. Only one patient experienced recurrence. The novel topical therapy we describe is cost-effective, readily available, and easily applied in any inpatient or outpatient setting.

Biologic and small-molecule medications in the management of pyoderma gangrenosum

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an uncommon inflammatory skin disorder characterized by neutrophil dysfunction. There are currently no FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of this disease, and treatment has typically relied on traditional immunosuppressive medications such as prednisone or cyclosporine. The efficacy of biologics in the treatment of other pro-inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease is well-documented in the literature. Therefore, the use of biologic medications for the treatment of rarer inflammatory skin conditions, such as PG, is a compelling topic for investigation. Biologic and small-molecule therapies allow physicians to target specific pro-inflammatory mediators that underlie PG pathogenesis. This review provides an update on the use of biologic and small-molecule medications for the treatment of PG and summarizes the latest data on the clinical efficacy and pharmacology of these treatments.

Stoma Complications

When created properly, an ileostomy or colostomy can dramatically improve a patient's quality of life. Conversely, when a patient develops complications related to their stoma, the impact on physical and mental health can be profound. Unfortunately, significant morbidity is associated with stoma creation conveying high rates of both early and late-term complications. Early complications include stomal ischemia/necrosis, retraction, mucocutaneous separation, and parastomal abscess. Late complications include parastomal hernia, prolapse, retraction, and varices. This review will discuss commonly occurring nondermatological stoma complications and detail management strategies for the ostomate and the surgeon.

Oral Pyoderma Gangrenosum: Diagnosis, Treatment and Challenges: A Systematic Review

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a distinctive ulcerative skin disorder of unknown etiology, associated with an underlying systemic disease in up to 70% of cases. The condition is characterized by the appearance of one or more necrotic ulcers with a ragged undermined violaceous border and surrounding erythema. Lesions are often initiated by minor trauma. The condition can affect any anatomical site, however the head and neck are rarely involved. Although the oral cavity is subject to recurrent minor trauma through everyday activities such as mastication and oral hygiene, as well as during dental treatment, oral lesions appear to be extremely rare. In an effort to provide a detailed explanation of the oral manifestations of PG, a systematic search was conducted using medical databases. A total of 20 cases of PG with oral involvement were reported in the English and French literature. The objectives of this article are to present the pertinent diagnostic criteria and to discuss the differential diagnosis and therapeutic modalities.

Cutaneous Manifestations of Crohn Disease

Awareness of the extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn disease is increasing in dermatology and gastroenterology, with enhanced identification of entities that range from granulomatous diseases recapitulating the underlying inflammatory bowel disease to reactive conditions and associated dermatoses. In this review, the underlying etiopathology of Crohn disease is discussed, and how this mirrors certain skin manifestations that present in a subset of patients is explored. The array of extraintestinal manifestations that do not share a similar pathology, but which are often seen in association with inflammatory bowel disease, is also discussed. Treatment and pathogenetic mechanisms, where available, are discussed.

Extraintestinal Manifestations Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects multiple organ systems outside of the gastrointestinal tract. The clinician treating patients with IBD should be acutely aware of the diagnosis and treatment of extraintestinal manifestations in order to decrease morbidity. The management can be difficult and often times requires a multidisciplinary approach. Future research investigating the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment is needed to further the care of these patients.

Extraintestinal Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are frequent and may occur before or after IBD diagnosis. EIM may impact the quality of life for patients with IBD significantly requiring specific treatment depending on the affected organ(s). They most frequently affect joints, skin, or eyes, but can also less frequently involve other organs such as liver, lungs, or pancreas. Certain EIM, such as peripheral arthritis, oral aphthous ulcers, episcleritis, or erythema nodosum, are frequently associated with active intestinal inflammation and usually improve by treatment of the intestinal activity. Other EIM, such as uveitis or ankylosing spondylitis, usually occur independent of intestinal inflammatory activity. For other not so rare EIM, such as pyoderma gangrenosum and primary sclerosing cholangitis, the association with the activity of the underlying IBD is unclear. Successful therapy of EIM is essential for improving quality of life of patients with IBD. Besides other options, tumor necrosis factor antibody therapy is an important therapy for EIM in patients with IBD.

Avoidance and management of stomal complications

The construction of an intestinal stoma is fraught with complications and should not be considered a trivial undertaking. Serious complications requiring immediate reoperations can occur, as can minor problems that will subject the patient to daily and nightly distress. Intestinal stomas undoubtedly will dramatically change lifestyles; patients will experience physiologic and psychologic detriment with stoma-related problems, however minor they may seem. Common complications include poor stoma siting, high output, skin irritation, ischemia, retraction, parastomal hernia (PH), and prolapse. Surgeons should be cognizant of these complications before, during, and after stoma creation, and adequate measures should be taken to avoid them. In this review, the authors highlight these often seen problems and discuss management and prevention strategies.

Systematic review: IBD-associated pyoderma gangrenosum in the biologic era, the response to therapy

BACKGROUND

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is uncommon and therapeutically challenging. Its treatment remains poorly characterised due to limited individual centre or practitioner experience. No large series are reported since 2003, yet IBD treatment has changed substantially.

AIM

To provide an up-to-date review of the published treatment efficacy of currently available therapies for IBD-related PG in the biologic era.

METHODS

Systematic review of cases published post-2003 since the broad availability of anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) therapy. Cases which did not have coexistent IBD, were non-English language, of paediatric age or without data on response to therapy were excluded.

RESULTS

Sixty cases were identified; 55% female, 50% UC, 45% CD, 5% IBD-U. At PG diagnosis, 58% had active and only 15% inactive IBD, with 27% with IBD activity unspecified. Predominant sites were lower limb (48%) and peristomally (25%); 42% had multiple lesions. In 12%, trauma preceded PG. In 42%, new PG appeared whilst on IBD-specific therapy, whilst 28% were on no therapy and in 30%, IBD therapy was unspecified. Of patients on no therapy at PG onset (n = 17), 16 healed; seven with first- and eight with second-line therapy. In total, 34/60 patients received infliximab, four received adalimumab, two had both; with 33 (92%) responding to one or the other. There was no correlation of PG duration or size with healing times.

CONCLUSIONS

Pyoderma gangrenosum appears predominantly during active IBD and is seen equally in CD and UC. New PG may be a manifestation of recrudescent IBD or it follow trauma. Anti-TNFα therapy as a first-line agent for PG should be considered, as it appears to be highly effective.

Risk factors for peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum complicating inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Risk factors for peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum (PPG) are not well defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors associated with development of PPG.

METHODS

Both PPG patients and controls were obtained by searching a database of the Cleveland Clinic using the ICD-9 code from March 2005 to May 2011. The control group was selected by matching for underlying diseases and type of stoma in a ratio of 3:1. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 15 PPG cases and 45 controls were included. The mean age at the time of PPG diagnosis was 46.0 ± 14.4 years. The underlying disease was Crohn's disease in 7 patients (46.7%), ulcerative colitis in 7 (46.7%) and indeterminate colitis in 1 (6.7%). Eleven patients (73.3%) had end ileostomy, 3 (20.0%) had loop ileostomy and 1 (6.7%) had colostomy. Eleven patients (73.3%) had active intestinal disease. In multivariate analysis, female gender, the presence of concurrent autoimmune disorders, and a high body mass index (BMI) were significantly associated with the presence of PPG, with odds ratios of 8.385 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.496-46.982, p=0.015), 6.882 (95% CI:1.438-32.941, p=0.016), and 9.895 (95% CI: 1.970-43.704, p=0.005), respectively. After a median follow-up of 12.8 (interquartile range: 7.9-20.1) months with appropriate therapy, PPG healed in 8 patients (53.3%) and improved in 7 (46.7%) patients, after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Female gender, the presence of autoimmune disorders and a high BMI appeared to be associated with an increased risk for the development of PPG in IBD patients.

Diagnosis and management of parastomal pyoderma gangrenosum

Parastomal pyoderma gangrenosum (PPG) is an unusual neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by painful, necrotic ulcerations occurring in the area surrounding an abdominal stoma. It typically affects young to middle-aged adults, with a slight female predominance. The underlying etiology for PPG remains enigmatic but aberrant immune response to injury may play a pivotal role. The reported risk factors for the development of PPG include the presence of extra-intestinal manifestations, autoimmune disorders and obesity, along with local factors, such as the presence of parastomal hernia or pressure ulcer. PPG can develop at any time after the stoma construction. The histopathological features of PPG are not pathognomonic and its diagnosis is mainly based on clinical features. The management of PPG often requires a multidisciplinary approach, with a combination of local wound care and systemic medications.

Management and complications of stomas

Stomas are created for a wide range of indications such as temporary protection of a high-risk anastomosis, diversion of sepsis, or permanent relief of obstructed defecation or incontinence. Yet this seemingly benign procedure is associated with an overall complication rate of up to 70%. Therefore, surgeons caring for patients with gastrointestinal diseases must be proficient not only with stoma creation but also with managing postoperative stoma-related complications. This article reviews the common complications associated with ostomy creation and strategies for their management.

Intestinal stomas: indications, management, and complications

The ability to appropriately construct and care for an ostomy is crucial to good colorectal surgical practice. Enterostomal therapy is critical to the successful management of ostomies and their complications. Although associated with morbidity, a well-constructed ostomy can provide our patients with a good, durable QoL.

Late stomal complications

Ostomy creation is a common surgical procedure performed by a variety of surgical specialties. Complications associated with stomas are frequent and run the gamut from technical, mechanical, physiologic, and psychologic. The impact of these complications ranges from simple inconvenience to life threatening. The majority of these complications may not occur for years following creation of the stoma. In this article, the author reviews many of the late complications associated with stomas and options regarding their management.

Pyoderma gangrenosum: a review and update on new therapies

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare and often painful skin disease that can be unpredictable in its response to treatment. There is currently no gold standard of treatment or published algorithm for choice of therapy. The majority of data comes from case studies that lack a standard protocol not only for treatment administration but also for the objective assessment of lesion response to a specific therapy. This review provides an update to the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum with a particular focus on new systemic therapies.

Early diagnosis and early corticosteroid administration improves healing of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum in inflammatory bowel disease

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy of early diagnosis and early administration of corticosteroid for peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum, a prospective study was carried out.

METHODS

In April 1998, we began studying a new treatment regimen of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum in which prednisone at a dose of 20 to 40 mg was administered systemically immediately after diagnosis. Early-stage peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum was treated concurrently with topical cadexomer iodine, and at the granulation stage, treatment with clobetasol ointment was started. Healing of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum was determined by complete epithelialization of ulcer without pain or exudates. Patients were assigned to group A (n = 7) before April 1998 and group B (n = 10) after April 1998, and historical comparison was done between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

In group A, all patients had ulcerative colitis, and in group B, 7 patients had ulcerative colitis, 2 had Crohn's disease, and one had indeterminate colitis. In group B, significantly earlier diagnosis (P = 0.0093), earlier start of treatment (P = 0.0057), higher initial dose of corticosteroid (P = 0.0052), and earlier healing of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum (P = 0.0023) were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Early diagnosis and early corticosteroid administration appeared to be effective for promoting healing of peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum.

Infliximab for the treatment of disseminated pyoderma gangrenosum associated with ulcerative colitis. Case report and literature review

We report the case of a 19-year-old woman who developed an acute disseminated pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) during a severe flare of ulcerative colitis (UC). She was successfully treated with a 3-dose regimen of the anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha antibody infliximab. The literature on the effectiveness of this biological agent was reviewed, including 8 other cases of UC-associated PG and 77 cases of Crohn's-disease-associated PG. This case report and the review of the literature demonstrate that infliximab can be successfully used to treat patients with PG associated with inflammatory bowel diseases.

[Gangrenous pyoderma and enterocutaneous fistulas after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis]

We describe the medical-surgical management of a patient with a complex inflammatory bowel disease who developed 2 acute episodes of pyoderma gangrenosum and enterocutaneous fistulas after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. The rarity of this postsurgical complication is emphasized. A good response to topical tacrolimus was achieved in cutaneous wounds. A less favorable response to infliximab was achieved in the abdominal fistulas, requiring surgical excision of the pouch.

Off-Label Uses of Biologic Agents in Dermatology: A 2006 Update

The introduction of a number of biologic therapies into the market has revolutionized the practice of dermatology. These therapies include adalimumab, alefacept, efalizumab, etanercept, infliximab, IVIg, omalizumab, and rituximab. Most dermatologists are familiar with the indications of these medications that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration; however, numerous off-label uses have evolved. To update the reader on more recent uses of the biologics for off-label dermatologic use, this article will emphasize more recent published data from 2005 through the date of submission in May 2006.