Ecthyma gangrenosum following toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome in a 3-year-old boy-a survivable series of events

J Burn Care Res. 2008 May-Jun;29(3):555-8. doi: 10.1097/BCR.0b013e318171136a.

Abstract

Toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome (TENS) is a severe but rare skin reaction leading to epidermal desquamation of greater than 30% of the TBSA. It is most commonly precipitated by the administration of medication. Frequent complications of this syndrome include local wound infections, respiratory, mucocutaneous, and ocular complications. Ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) is a rare disease characterized by a milliary seeding of the cutaneous tissue with Gram-negative bacteria; it is most commonly seen in immunocompromised individuals. Here we report a 3-year-old boy who developed EG subsequent to TENS. Although he had a complicated and prolonged hospital course, he survived these series of events. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of TENS/EG in the pediatric population, and the first report of survivability following these illnesses.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Child, Preschool
  • Ecthyma / drug therapy
  • Ecthyma / etiology*
  • Ecthyma / microbiology
  • Gangrene / drug therapy
  • Gangrene / etiology*
  • Gangrene / microbiology
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Imipenem / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Skin Transplantation
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / complications*
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / microbiology
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / surgery
  • Tobramycin / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Imipenem
  • Tobramycin