Eruptive disseminated pyogenic granulomas following lightning injury

Pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a common benign acquired vascular tumor. It classically presents as a solitary friable nodule on the face or distal extremities. Disseminated eruption is rare and can occur spontaneously or secondary to various triggers, including burn injury. To date, the literature reports only 13 cases of eruptive PGs following burn injury, most from exposure to boiling milk or water. We report the first case of disseminated eruptive PGs following a lightning injury.

A 17-year-old previously healthy boy developed second- and third-degree burns following lightning injury. Two weeks later, he developed widespread dark-purple polypoid exophytic tumors ranging from 1 to 10 cm in diameter extending beyond the limits of the initial burn injury. The lesions were friable and often formed erosions and crusts. The patient was otherwise well and laboratory and microbiological investigations were normal. Excisional biopsy of a lesion was diagnostic of PG and the patient was treated with surgical excision of the lesions, without recurrence.

The exact pathogenesis of multiple PGs remains unknown. Several pathogenic mechanisms have been suggested, including production of angiogenic factors that stimulate endothelial proliferation and formation of minute arteriovenous fistulas by trauma.