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Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
 FREE Case Review
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| Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome, or TENS, is a far more severe skin reaction than Steven-Johnson’s Syndrome. The onset of TENS is identical to SJS, with fever, cough, and small red/purple lesions on the skin, mainly in the head, chest and upper body. These lesions will eventually blister and form a network of painful, blotchy pustules. As the condition rapidly escalates, the skin will begin to flake off and shed in large flakes, and if left untreated TENS can cause all of the skin on the body to flake off and die. Furthermore, TENS affects more than just skin; it causes damage to the eyes, mouth, fingernails and vaginal areas. These regions of the body often suffer the most, and are the least likely to recover even with proper treatment.
The long range effects of TENS are again similar to SJS, but are more severe. If the entire skin is affected, permanent scarring and disfigurement are some of the more common after effects.Also, as the skin flakes away in large sheets, victims begin to quickly lose vital fluids and moisture, and this rapid dehydration inhibits proper healing. The single greatest danger of TENS is body wide infection of the mucous membranes beneath the skin. This infection can rapidly overwhelm a victim without prompt medical attention. The increase in the likelihood of infection contributes to the 25-30% mortality rate of TENS, as opposed to the 15% mortality rate for SJS.
While great physical pain is expected from TENS, the psychological damage should not be underestimated as well. TENS causes the skin to resemble 3rd degree burns, causing many victims to shy away from social interactions out of shame and embarrassment.
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