A 42-year-old woman developed skin problems that gradually worsened. She experienced sores and swelling that eventually required treatment in an intensive care unit, according to The Sun.
According to the Journal of Surgical Case Reports, the condition can begin with mild symptoms such as pain and irritation before a more serious rash develops. However, the condition is very rare.
Treatment in hospital
When the woman was admitted, doctors initially suspected an infection and began treatment with antibiotics. Later tests confirmed that she had a bacterial infection.
Doctors also used a special type of skin treatment involving sheep tissue to help the skin heal. The treatment was repeated several times over a number of weeks.
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According to the report, her skin gradually became less inflamed, and healing improved. After 66 days, she was discharged from the intensive care unit.
Rare side effect
Doctors later discovered that she had developed a rare and serious reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
According to DermNet, this is a condition in which the skin forms blisters and can detach from the body.
It often occurs as a reaction to medication and is typically seen within the first few weeks after starting treatment.
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The reaction was caused by her use of the medication lamotrigine, which the woman had been prescribed as a mood stabilizer. More than half of her skin was affected.
Sources: The Sun, Journal of Surgical Case Reports, and DermNet.
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