1. Pyoderma gangrenosum severely affecting both hands
- Author
-
P. W. R. Petrie, I. Nawroz, and D. J. Adam
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Biopsy ,Azathioprine ,Amputation, Surgical ,Arthritis, Rheumatoid ,Diagnosis, Differential ,Immunopathology ,medicine ,Humans ,skin and connective tissue diseases ,Skin ,Transplantation ,Chemotherapy ,business.industry ,Maintenance dose ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Hand ,Ulcerative colitis ,Pyoderma Gangrenosum ,Surgery ,Debridement ,Rheumatoid arthritis ,Colitis, Ulcerative ,Female ,business ,Pyoderma gangrenosum ,Immunosuppressive Agents ,medicine.drug ,Tissue biopsy - Abstract
We report a case of pyoderma gangrenosum affecting both hands simultaneously. Pyoderma gangrenosum affecting the hands is an extremely rare condition which may result in considerable tissue destruction. Management includes immunosuppressant therapy, treatment of associated medical conditions and minimal surgical intervention. Despite a high maintenance dose of corticosteroid and adequate control of coexisting ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis, tissue destruction in the hands spread rapidly in our patient. The key to the patient’s dramatic improvement was the tissue biopsy suggesting pyoderma gangrenosum and the subsequent treatment with the cytotoxic immunosuppressant, azathioprine.
- Published
- 1996