Pyoderma gangrenosum: A case report of bilateral dorsal hand lesions and literature review of management

Abstract

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a great masquerader in wound diagnosis and management. Frequently misdiagnosed as a necrotizing infection, the elusive nature of its etiology and pathogenesis has thwarted the establishment of a standardized management algorithm, leaving immunosuppressant therapies as the mainstay of treatment. The present report describes a 61-year-old woman presenting with temporally discrete bilateral dorsal hand lesions successfully managed with distinctive multimodality therapies. The initial lesion was managed under the auspices of a necrotizing process using a combination of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and skin grafting with a negative-pressure dressing, both individually demonstrated to be effective for prompt wound stabilization and coverage. A subsequent contralateral hand lesion was similarly managed as a necrotizing infection before a diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum was considered. Stabilization and eventual resolution was achieved using intravenous and topical steroids followed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy, again highlighting the benefits of multimodality therapy in the setting of pyoderma gangrenosum.