%0 Journal Article %T Pyoderma gangrenosum ¨C a review %A Uwe Wollina %J Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases %D 2007 %I BioMed Central %R 10.1186/1750-1172-2-19 %X The treatment of PG is a challenge. Randomized, double-blinded prospective multicenter trials for PG are not available. The best documented treatments are systemic corticosteroids and ciclosporin A. Combinations of steroids with cytotoxic drugs are used in resistant cases. The combination of steroids with sulfa drugs or immunosuppressants has been used as steroid-sparing modalities. Anti-tumor necrosis alpha therapy in Crohn's disease showed a rapid response of PG. Skin transplants and the application of bioengineered skin is useful in selected cases as a complement to the immunosuppressive treatment. Topical therapy with modern wound dressings is useful to minimize pain and the risk of secondary infections. Despite recent advances in therapy, the prognosis of PG remains unpredictable.Pyoderma gangrenosumPyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a primarily sterile inflammatory neutrophilic dermatosis. It is characterized by recurrent cutaneous ulcerations with mucopurulent or hemorrhagic exudate. These very painful ulcers present with undermined bluish borders with surrounding erythema. In many cases, PG is associated with inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatic disorder or neoplasia [1-3].Powell et al. [4] suggested a classification of PG into four major clinical types [see Table 1].Accurate epidemiological data on PG are missing. The peak of incidence occurs between the ages of 20 to 50 years with women being more often affected than men [2,6]. Cases in infants and adolescents account for only 4% of PG. PG in elderly people has occasionally been reported [7]. The general incidence has been estimated to be between 3 and 10 per million per year [8].PG occurs most commonly on the lower legs with preference for the pretibial area [Fig. 1 &2]. PG has been reported on other sites of the body as well, including breast, hand, trunk, head and neck, and peristomal skin [Fig. 3 &4]. Extracutaneous manifestations include involvement of upper airway mucosa, eye [9-12], genital mucosa [13], %U http://www.ojrd.com/content/2/1/19