Pyoderma gangrenosum after deep inferior epigastric perforator flap: How prompt diagnosis and treatment can avoid surgical debridement and further morbidity

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a skin disorder characterized by painful, enlarging necrotic ulcers with bluish borders surrounded by advancing zones of erythema. The key histologic feature is neutrophilic infiltration of the superficial and deep layers of the dermis and the absence of microorganisms. Although rare and associated with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the diagnosis is commonly missed at presentation and patients are often treated for infection with antibiotics and surgical debridement. We present a case of PG in a 51 year-old woman after a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap for breast reconstruction who was promptly diagnosed and treated with steroids with appropriate response. Our case highlights the importance of rapid diagnosis and treatment of this disease to avoid incorrect management including surgical debridement, which can exacerbate the disease and increase its morbidity.