Verified By Apollo Hospitals October 1, 2024
Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a life-threatening and rare skin condition. It’s a severe form of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS).
TEN is diagnosed when more than 30% of the skin surface gets affected, with mucous membranes getting extensively damaged. Blisters and peeling of skin are the main characteristics of TEN. This condition can affect people of any age.
TEN is usually caused by a reaction to certain medications. It is a life-threatening condition that needs emergency treatment.
Toxic epidermal necrolysis signs and symptoms include:
The usual cause of TEN is abnormal and severe reactions towards medicines.
The most common drug triggers of SJS/TEN include antibiotics, epilepsy drugs, sulfa drugs and allopurinol. The symptoms are likely to start showing up one to four weeks after you start taking a new drug.
If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, immediately seek medical help.
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Following are the Risk Factors:
Immediately rush to the hospital the moment you notice the symptoms. Patients need to get hospitalized and the reaction-causing medicine is discontinued. Treatment modalities include:
Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe condition that needs immediate hospitalization. It’s a life-threatening skin reaction and can lead to dehydration and sepsis in no time. Depending upon the patient and the severity of the condition, the recovery period can take weeks to months.
People above 70 years and those with cancer and liver cirrhosis are at a higher risk of developing these complications. Complications include:
Your doctor will diagnose by looking at the skin and mucous membrane. It is diagnosed when those with SJS develop severe disease that affects more than 30% of the body.
SJS is a less severe form of TEN, in which up to 10% of the skin is affected.