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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

A Standardized Procedure of Dressing Management for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
Published on: March 14, 2025
Complications of Stevens-Johnson syndrome beyond the eye and skin
Hajirah Saeed1, Iason S Mantagos2, James Chodosh1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, 243 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Introduction:
Ocular and cutaneous disease are common chronic sequelae of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) and have been well described in the literature. Long-term complications affecting other organ systems have not been so well described. The purpose of this review article is to highlight non-ocular and non-cutaneous chronic complications of SJS/TEN.
Methods:
The PubMed database was searched for the keywords "Stevens-Johnson syndrome" and "toxic epidermal necrolysis" through September 1, 2014. Relevant articles were then reviewed in full.
Results:
138 articles in the English language were found that described chronic sequelae of SJS/TEN. Our search revealed six affected organ systems other than the eyes and integument, with chronic sequelae from SJS/TEN: respiratory, gastrointestinal/hepatic, oral, otorhinolaryngologic, gynecologic/genitourinary, and renal. Complications involving these organs systems appeared likely to reduce the quality of life for SJS/TEN survivors.
Discussion:
SJS/TEN is a multi-organ disease requiring multidisciplinary care from a variety of specialists. Affected patients have complex hospital stays, and their quality of life may be severely impacted by multiple long-term complications. We believe that preventative care in the acute setting might limit the development and progression of many of the sequelae described above.
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