Pyoderma gangrenosum

A serious ulcerating disease of the skin, especially the legs, usually treated with steroid drugs.

Pyoderma gangrenosum is an ulcerative skin disorder. It may occur alone or as a complication of another syndrome for example, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The cause is not known, but it is suspected to have an autoimmune etiology. Pyoderma gangrenosum is a diagnosis of exclusion because biopsies of the skin lesions reveal nonspecific inflammation.

A noninfectious ulcerative disease of the skin. Pyoderma gangrenosum does not involve gangrene, despite its name. It most often affects young to middle-aged adults and most commonly occurs on the legs. Lesions begin as tender, pus-filled papules (small superficial bumps on the skin] and blisters. The lesions develop into painful ulcers with ragged purple edges that heal with scarring. Pyoderma gangrenosum is sometimes associated with other conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, leukemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. Diagnosis is based on clinical impression and ruling out other skin diseases through a biopsy. Because treatment differs, it is important to distinguish pyoderma gangrenosum from other types of ulcers. Treatment includes prescribed corticosteroids and other immunosuppressant medications, including cyclosporine.

This is a disorder in which large ulcerating lesions appear suddenly and dramatically in the skin. It is the result of underlying vasculitis. It is usually the result of inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease but can be associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

A rare, ulcerating skin disease in which the skin is infiltrated by neutrophils. It is often found in people with other underlying illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or some hematological malignancies.