Nicolau syndrome in which split-thickness skin graft was required for reconstruction

Nicolau syndrome is a rare adverse reaction and characterized by the acute onset of necrosis of the skin and soft tissue following intramuscular drug injection. Conservative treatments with dressings, debridement, and pain control are the mainstay of therapy. Surgical intervention such as skin graft is rarely required. We report a case of 21-year-old man with this syndrome on the right buttock after an intramuscular injection of diclofenac in which skin graft was necessary. The lesion eventually required debridements and split-thickness skin graft for reconstruction because it was very extensive and not successfully treated by the conservative method for four months.