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Leech Induced Pyoderma Gangrenosum in an Ulcerative Colitis Patient: A Case Report
Anahita Sadeghi1, Behrouz Navabakhsh2, Niloofar Izadi Vahedi2
1Digestive Disease Research Institute, Shariati hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a painful skin lesion that results from excessive inflammatory response to a host of traumatic, inflammatory, or neoplastic processes in susceptible individuals. A clear pathogenetic mechanism as well as an exhaustive list of potential triggers for PG is yet to be fully characterized. This case documents the occurrence of pyoderma gangrenosum following leech-therapy in a patient who is a known case of ulcerative colitis and it deserves attention because leeches have been part of medical armamentarium since ancient times and have re-emerged in the last century relying on their ancient charm and modern research revealing potential benefits of several bioactive substances in their saliva.
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