| Sumario: | Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare immune-related chronic ulcerating skin condition with a predilection for the lower limbs. It is more common in females, with the average age of onset between 20 and 50 years. There are two stages of the disease process: an ulcerative phase and a healing phase. The latter occurs once the heightened and ongoing inflammatory response has subsided, although the exact pathophysiology of PG has yet to be elucidated. Half of the cases of PG are associated with other comorbidities, such as inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis or haematological malignancies. The skin condition pathergy can be a stimulus for the onset of the disease and is due to incidental or healthcare-related trauma. There is no definitive test to diagnose PG and the diagnosis is one of exclusion. The aim of the treatment is to reduce the inflammation and therefore immunosuppression is the basis of any therapy. Nevertheless, the disease can recur following completion of the healing phase.
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