Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Case Report on a Drug-Induced Phenomenon

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a group of severe forms of several life-threatening conditions. As a co-infection of this group, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare though severe disease of the skin and mucous membranes. Intake of some drugs could cause reactions such as SJS and TEN. A form of severe connective tissue disorder, TEN is also known as Lyell's syndrome and is a common cause of significant skin and mucous membrane disintegration. Adverse medication reactions are the most prevalent and contribute highly to the incidence rates of the major etiological variables for TEN. Erythema, epidermal detachment that manifests as blisters, and denuded skin patches are the defining features of this pathology. In the majority of cases, the administration of pharmaceutical drugs is thought to be the primary cause of SJS/TEN. In this article, we report a case of a 33-year-old male patient who presented with complaints of lower left facial pain and thus was prescribed carbamazepine. Following this, the patient presented with an adverse reaction to the administration of carbamazepine and was taken off the drug immediately. The treatment included the administration of hydration therapy and appropriate antibiotics for treating the fluid-filled vesicles. The treatment regimen continued for three weeks and was stopped when the skin lesions were scarce and there was an improvement in the overall health of the patient.