Document Type
Case Report
Disciplines
Dermatology | Higher Education | Medicine and Health Sciences | Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases
Abstract
Background. Pyogenic granulomas (PGs) are benign vascular lesions commonly encountered in primary care settings. They are often linked to trauma, hormonal changes, infections, or medications. While traditional treatments such as excision, curettage, and silver nitrate application are the treatment of choice, recurrence is possible, and they may result in discomfort, anxiety, or scarring. This case highlights the successful use of salt packing, a low-cost, minimally invasive alternative, for a PG resistant to conventional therapy.
Case. A 57-year-old female presented with a 10 mm PG on the right ventral thumb, which bled intermittently and increased in size over three months. An incisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Despite undergoing curettage, electrodesiccation, and silver nitrate application, the lesion persisted. Daily salt packing under occlusion was initiated, leading to a 20% reduction in size within one week. After three additional weeks of continued therapy, the lesion was nearly completely resolved. The patient was advised to monitor for recurrence and restart salt application if necessary.
Conclusion. Salt application, previously reported for umbilical granulomas, is believed to work as a desiccant, dehydrating the lesion and causing vascular tissue shrinkage. This treatment method remains underreported, particularly in the United States. Given the risk of recurrence and scarring associated with surgical treatments, salt packing presents a well-tolerated, cost-effective alternative. This case adds to the growing evidence supporting its use, particularly for lesions resistant to traditional interventions. Importantly, because PGs have a broad differential diagnosis, including malignant lesions such as amelanotic melanoma, biopsy is recommended prior to conservative therapy, and any lesion that does not improve within 2–3 weeks should undergo repeat evaluation. Further studies are needed to evaluate its broader applicability in PG management.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.32873/unmc.dc.gmerj.7.2.006
Keywords
Pyogenic granuloma, salt-packing, vascular lesion, alternative therapy
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Regester, R. M., , Eisenstein, K. Salt Vs. Scalpel: A Surprisingly Simple Solution to Pyogenic Granulomas. Graduate Medical Education Research Journal. 2025 Dec 31; 7(2).
https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/gmerj/vol7/iss2/6
Included in
Dermatology Commons, Higher Education Commons, Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases Commons
