Dual-Site Postsurgical Pyoderma Gangrenosum of the Breast and Back With Delayed Diagnosis: A Case Report.
Tristan Packard, Grant Dolan, Cathryn Chance et al.
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Case in brief
A 70-year-old woman with a history of celiac disease and breast cancer developed nonhealing ulcers on her left breast and back following surgeries for benign lesions. Initial assessments suggested infection and foreign-body reactions, leading to ineffective treatments. Ultimately, biopsies revealed abscesses without malignancy. The diagnosis of postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum was confirmed after lesions worsened post-intervention, with rapid improvement following corticosteroid therapy.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum in cases of refractory wounds that worsen despite treatment, especially when multiple surgical sites are involved.
Why it matters
Recognizing this condition early can prevent unnecessary procedures and prolonged patient suffering, highlighting the need for awareness of inflammatory processes in post-surgical wounds.