TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS

Course overview

TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS (TEN) IS POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING ACUTE MUCOCUTANEOUS SYNDROME. IT USUALLY OCCURS BECAUSE OF INAPPROPRIATE IMMUNE REACTIONS TO CERTAIN DRUGS. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY KERATINOCYTE NECROSIS WITH SEPARATION OF THE EPIDERMIS FROM THE UNDERLYING DERMIS. TEN IS RARE (1.9 PER MILLION ADULTS PER YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES). HOWEVER, ITS MORTALITY RATE IS HIGH (30% OF CASES). PROMPT RECOGNITION OF CASES AND STOPPAGE OF THE OFFENDING DRUG AND REFERRAL TO BURN UNIT IS THE MAINSTAY OF TREATMENT. THIS ACTIVITY WILL REVIEW THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT F TEN CASES AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH IN EVALUATING THESE CASES.