Use of a vacuum-assisted closure device in the treatment of recurrent Paget's disease of the vulva.

BACKGROUND

Paget's disease of the vulva is a rare malignancy for which common recurrence is related to inadequate surgical margins. Excision with adequate surgical margins might leave a large defect that does not readily heal.

CASE: A 41-year-old woman with recurrent Paget's disease of the vulva underwent a skinning excision of the vulva and perineum. A vacuum-assisted closure device was placed on the wound until final pathologic analysis confirmed the adequacy of surgical margins.

CONCLUSION

The vacuum-assisted closure device not only allowed us to safely temporize wound closure until the final histopathologic results, but also helped secure the skin graft to the large and irregular surface. Additional studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of vacuum-assisted closure device therapy in Paget's disease of the vulva.