Therapeutic Use of Amniotic Membrane Dressing in Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

A 45-year-old woman presented with painful erosions and a few dusky vesiculobullous lesions all over the body, including the face, trunk, arms and legs, and oral and genital mucous membranes, for 3 days after consuming tablet diclofenac for fever. There was hemorrhagic crusting on the lips along with conjunctival hyperemia. A clinical diagnosis of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) was made. The Severity-of-Illness Score for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SCORTEN) was 3 at the time of admission. All routine investigations, including liver function test (LFT), kidney function test (KFT), fasting blood sugar (FBS, 105 mg/dL), and viral serology (Hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg], hepatitis C virus [HCV], and Human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]-1, 2), were normal. Blood and urine cultures were sterile. A chest X-ray (posteroanterior [PA] view) and electrocardiogram (ECG) did not reveal any abnormality. The patient was treated conservatively with supportive care, including intravenous fluids, maintenance of ambient temperature, air-fluidized bedding, and appropriate pain and ophthalmic care. For skin lesions, normal saline dressing with paraffin gauge was used; however, after 5 days of treatment, coverage of skin lesions with amniotic membrane dressings was planned due to poor healing. Amniotic membranes are taken from normal delivery patients using aseptic precautions and ensuring negative viral (HBsAg, HCV, and HIV-1, 2) serology. Blood clots were removed from amniotic membranes and stored in buffered normal saline by adding gentamycin. The membranes were applied over the denuded areas (Figures 1 and 2) and wrapped with sterile bandages. The membranes were replaced after 3 days, and removed on day 4 of the second application. More than 90% improvement was observed (Figures 3 and 4) on removal of second application. Supportive treatment was continued, and the patient was discharged on day 20 of admission. (SKINmed. 2022;20:215-217).