Sweet's syndrome following surgery: cutaneous trauma as a possible aetiological co-factor in neutrophilic dermatoses

Abstract

A 47-year-old man presented with an acute, cutaneous eruption of exquisitely painful papules at the operative site 4 weeks after a right tibial osteotomy. Initially this was managed as a postoperative wound infection; however the exacerbation and spread of the cutaneous eruption prompted further investigation. Histopathology and clinical findings were consistent with the development of Sweet's syndrome and resolution was obtained after the initiation of dapsone. We propose that surgery may produce an acute inflammatory response in a similar manner to pathergy reactions, which play an aetiological role in other neutrophilic dermatoses, such as pyoderma gangrenosum. We conclude that there may be greater overlap between these neutrophilic dermatoses than previously appreciated.

Keywords: Sweet's syndrome; acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis; aetiology; neutrophilic dermatosis; pathergy; surgery.