Antibiotic Nearly Kills Boy Who Developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

By Sarah Mirando | August 21, 2012

Category: Pharmaceuticals

By Sarah Pierce

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a severe allergic reaction to medication that has been linked to numerous drugs, including Dilantin, Zithromax and even over-the-counter drugs such as Motrin and Ibuprofen. Stevens Johnson Syndrome symptoms are scary and life-threatening, and no one knows this more than 10-year-old Tyrelle Turner, a resident of Jackson, Tennessee.

According to a recent article in The Jackson Sun (7/8/12), Turner became the unsuspecting victim of Stevens Johnson Syndrome after being prescribed a routine antibiotic to treat a sinus infection. What followed was a scary ordeal that left his mother and doctors fighting for his life.

Turner started taking the antibiotic Sulfamethoxazole-TMP for a sinus infection on March 9, 2012. The longer he took the medication, the more side effects he began to suffer, his mom says, including a fever and blistery rash. Turner’s mom took him to the local emergency room on March 24 where doctors ordered blood tests and a spinal tap to check for several diseases, including meningitis. Each test proved negative, and doctors were still unaware that Stevens Johnson Syndrome was the culprit. Turner was transferred to another hospital later that night, where he suffered two seizures just after he arrived. His organs began shutting down and medical records show nearly 40 percent of his body was covered in a red rash with white blisters. No one knew that the antibiotic Sulfamethoxazole-TMP was killing the young boy.

Finally, a biopsy was performed on Turner’s neck that showed doctors he had Stevens Johnson Syndrome, a rare and serious disorder that causes the skin and mucous membranes to react severely to medication or infections. Turner was rushed to the burn center as the disease caused his body to literally burn from the inside out.

On March 25, Turner was flown by helicopter to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in critical condition. SJS blisters now covered 75 percent of his body, including his face, neck, lips, chest, back, legs and the bottoms of his feet. At the hospital, Turner was diagnosed with a more serious form of Stevens Johnson Syndrome called Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, or Lyell’s Syndrome. Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) produces the same effect on the skin as second-degree burns from a fire. These burns start from the inside of the body, burning away the skin from the inside out, including the skin behind the eyelids — which can cause blindness — and the skin inside the gastrointestinal area, making it difficult for the patient to eat or absorb water or nutrients from food. TEN is accompanied by a high risk of infection, leading to 40 percent of TEN patients dying from complications.

Luckily, Turner was not one of these victims, and doctors were able to successfully treat his SJS and TEN symptoms. The Jackson Sun did not report if Turner’s mom plans to sue the manufacturer of the antibiotic that nearly killed him, but many SJS/TEN victims and their families have chosen to go this route. An SJS/TEN lawsuit is the only way these victims will be able to recover the huge medical expenses they incurred as a result of the drug manufacturers’ inadequate drug warnings about the risks of developing Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Filing a Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuit

About 300 new diagnoses of SJS are reported each year, with 5 to 15 percent of these patients dying. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, you may have a case to seek compensation from the drug manufacturer to cover your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and even wrongful death.

If you would like more information about how to file a Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) lawsuit, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) lawsuit or class action lawsuit, an experienced SJS attorney can provide a free consultation about your case. Visit the Stevens Johnson Syndrome & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Class Action Lawsuit Investigation for more information. SJS lawyers are standing by to hear your case, and never charge for the initial consultation.

Updated August 21st, 2012

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