Refractory postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient with Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome: response to multimodal therapy

Post-Operative Pyoderma Gangrenosum: A Long Journey for a Patient with Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an inflammatory neutrophilic dermatosis, characterized by painful and erythematous papules, pustules or vesicles that rapidly become ulcerative and necrotic. These ulcers have multiple sub-types and can develop anywhere on the body. There are different postulations as to the mechanisms of development for each sub-type. More than half of patients with PG have an underlying disease, with the highest prevalence being inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), followed by inflammatory arthritis and hematological disorders. Post-operative PG should be considered in any patient undergoing surgery who subsequently develops characteristic necrotic lesions with delayed wound healing, fever and severe localized pain. The clinical manifestations and treatment may differ slightly depending on the type and cause of PG. Herein, we present a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome and arthritis, who underwent surgery for diverticulosis complicated by colovaginal fistula formation, and subsequently developed a very prolonged course of post-operative pyoderma gangrenosum. This report will address the types of PG, their various manifestations and pathogenesis, as well as the management specific to patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. It is our intent to better understand the sub-types in order to predict and prevent post-operative PG.

Surgical Treatment of Pyoderma Gangrenosum with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy and Skin Grafting, Including Xenografts: Personal Experience and Comprehensive Review on 161 Cases

Significance: Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare debilitating autoinflammatory ulcerative skin disease. No gold standard has been established for the treatment of PG. The role of surgical interventions and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was discussed controversially until recently as these procedures might pose a trigger to further aggravate the condition. Recent Advances: Recent advances confirm the paradigm change that a surgical approach of PG with split thickness skin grafting (STSG) secured by NPWT is a safe and valuable treatment if performed under adequate immunosuppression. We elaborate this on the hand of a broad literature search retrieving 101 relevant articles describing 138 patients complemented with our personal experience on 23 patients, including 2 patients treated with a porcine xenodressing. Critical Issues: A wide range of surgical approaches have been reported, including xenografts. Treatment was finally successful in 86%, including the xenotransplant cases. Ten percent improved and failures were mainly reported without immunosuppression. Despite halting the inflammatory process, NPWT alone, without skin grafting, does not much accelerate healing time. The best surgical approach appears to be STSG fixed with NPWT as this leads to higher skin graft take. There remains the problem of the chronic nature of PG and the recurrence after tapering of immunosuppression or trauma; therefore, a sustained immunosuppressive treatment is suggested. Future Directions: While surgical treatment is supported by the published data, the exact immunosuppression is still evolving. Due to deeper insights into pathogenesis and growing clinical reports, a broader utilization of biologic treatments and a shift from tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha to interleukin (IL)-12/23 or IL-23 antibodies alone are predictable, as IL-12/23 antibodies show good clinical responses with fewer side effects. The positive results with porcine xenodressings might be due to immunological effects of the xenomaterial; they appear promising, but are preliminary and should be confirmed in a larger patient collective.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a case of cervical abscess extending to anterior mediastinum, with isolation of Prevotella corporis

We present a case of an odontogenic abscess, first spreading at the lateral cervical level and then in mediastinum. We isolated an anaerobic bacterium, Prevotella corporis, rarely documented in literature. The mortality rates of cervical abscesses secondary to odontogenic infections and complicated by mediastinitis vary from 10% to 40%. Treatment of descending mediastinitis involves multidisciplinary teams such as otorhinolaryngology, thoracic surgeons, infectious disease physicians, anesthetists and intensivists. Due to the combined treatment with surgical drainage within 48 hours of hospitalisation, antibiotics and subsequent hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we have achieved complete recovery of the patient.

Pyoderma gangrenosum and tumour necrosis factor alpha inhibitors: A semi-systematic review

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare ulcerative skin disease that presents a therapeutic challenge. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors have been reported to successfully control PG. Our aim was to systematically evaluate and compare the clinical effectiveness of TNFα inhibitors in adults with PG. A literature search including databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted, using search terms related to PG and TNFα inhibitors. Studies and case reports were included if patients were diagnosed with PG, over the age of 18 and administered TNFα inhibitor. A total of 3212 unique citations were identified resulting in 222 articles describing 356 patients being included in our study. The study we report found an 87% (95% CI: 83%-90%) response rate and a 67% (95% CI: 62%-72%) complete response rate to TNFα inhibitors. No statistically significant differences in the response rates (P = 0.6159) or complete response rates (P = 0.0773) to infliximab, adalimumab, and etanercept were found. In our study TNFα inhibitors demonstrated significant effectiveness with response and complete response rates supporting the use of TNFα inhibitors to treat PG in adults. Our study suggests that there is no significant difference in effectiveness among infliximab, adalimumab, and etanercept.

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.

Pyoderma gangrenosum after breast surgery: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Post-surgical pyoderma gangrenosum (PSPG) is a rare inflammatory skin disorder of unknown aetiology. Given its similar presentation to wound infection and lack of reliable diagnostic tests as well as pathognomonic clinical features, PSPG is difficult to diagnose. The aim of this review was to identify factors contributing to PSPG to aid with timely diagnosis and appropriate therapy.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed by following PRISMA guidelines, focusing on PSPG after reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgery. The online databases PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane were used, and additionally, a Google^© search was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 68 articles describing 87 cases of PSPG following aesthetic and reconstructive breast surgery were found. The majority of PSPG (44%) occurred after breast reduction surgery and microsurgical breast reconstruction (16%). The most common associated conditions were malignancies in 37% and autoimmune deficiencies in 17%. Microbiological examinations were found to have a negative result in 90%. The median time from initial presentation with symptoms to correct diagnosis of PG was on average 12.5 days, with unsuccessful first-line therapy on average for 20.0 days. After the diagnosis of PG, medical therapy most commonly involved steroids in 84% and/or Cyclosporine A in 22% of the cases. On average, the duration of this therapy was 4.7 months.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of PSPG remains a challenging issue. However, according to the presented review, several distinct clinical signs in combination with lack of treatment response should prompt further investigation to promote timely diagnosis and correct treatment of this potentially debilitating disease.