Case Study on Management of Postsurgical Pyoderma Gangrenosum After Spinal Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum (PSPG) is a rare autoimmune, neutrophilic dermatosis that results with the occurrence of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) within surgical incisions. Presenting symptoms include erythema and pain at the surgical incision with wound dehiscence. The clinical appea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nursing Vol. 46; no. 6; pp. 543 - 547
Main Author: Ratliff, Catherine R.
Format: case study pictorial Journal Article
Published: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Nov/Dec2019
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Description
Summary:BACKGROUND: Postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum (PSPG) is a rare autoimmune, neutrophilic dermatosis that results with the occurrence of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) within surgical incisions. Presenting symptoms include erythema and pain at the surgical incision with wound dehiscence. The clinical appearance of the PSPG wound (similar to PG) shows raised with dusky red or violaceous (violet-colored) wound edges and undermining with little or no evidence of granulation tissue. "Pathergy" is the term used to describe worsening of the wound in response to trauma such as debridement. Postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum should be suspected in postoperative wounds, which continue to become progressively worse despite broadspectrum antibiotics, good wound care, and surgical debridement. CASE: A clinical case study of a patient with PSPG from spine surgery is described. CONCLUSION: Postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum should be suspected in postoperative wounds, which continue to become progressively worse despite broad-spectrum antibiotics, good wound care, and surgical debridement.