Toxic epidermal necrolysis in pregnancy: case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

The authors report the case of a 29-year-old pregnant woman (2g1p) in the 16th week of gestation presenting with extensive toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). The cutaneous symptoms began at hands, feet, and in the mouth and developed during the course of 10 days to cover 75% of her TBSA, whereas total epidermolysis was present on more than 40% of her TBSA. Because of progressive swelling and bleeding of the oral mucosa, tracheal intubation was necessary to secure the airway of the patient. Critical care management required sedation, tracheotomy and artificial ventilation (14 days), prolonged fluid resuscitation, daily wound care, topical antiseptic and systemic antibiotic medication, hemostatic therapy and blood transfusion, hypercaloric nutrition, and frequent obstetric ultrasound evaluations. Reepithelialization began simultaneously with progressive epidermolysis and was completed after 35 days of conservative treatment. Because the patient experienced a swollen vulva and a stenotic birth channel, typical sequelae of TEN, a primary cesarean section was required after 40 weeks of gestation. The male infant showed neither signs of skin detachment nor sequelae caused by the prolonged therapy for the mother. A multidisciplinary approach and appropriate medical infrastructure are required to solve the challenge of TEN in pregnancy. In addition, the particular role of gestation in the pathophysiology of TEN needs to be explored further.