People are at risk of contracting a plethora of illnesses and diseases every day. While some conditions are minor, leading to mild discomfort, others are more severe, leading to life-threatening complications. To make matters worse, many of these conditions are extremely rare, with few medical professionals having any experience with them. One such condition is Steven-Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

SJS is a rare yet dangerous skin disorder that attacks a patient’s skin and the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, and/or genitals. It can cause unimaginable pain and discomfort. Because it is so rare, many doctors misdiagnose the disease or miss it entirely. When a doctor does not diagnose SJS properly, the condition will progress and worsen.

Unfortunately, when a patient does not receive the proper care they need, SJS can lead to long-term effects. These complications can reduce a person’s quality of life significantly, leaving them with disabilities or chronic pain. That is why so many patients file medical malpractice lawsuits against their doctors. With these lawsuits, patients hope to recover some damages for the injuries they sustained, including the long-term effects of SJS.

While Stevens-Johnson Syndrome can cause a host of issues in the moment, it can also lead to plenty of long-term complications. If you or someone you love fell victim to SJS due to an allergic reaction to a prescription drug or a doctor’s misdiagnose, contact the medical malpractice attorneys at Wormington & Bollinger and let us fight for the justice you deserve.

Understanding Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)

As mentioned previously, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a rare skin disease that attacks a person’s skin and the mucous membranes of the eyes, ears, and/or genitals. Early detection and treatment are crucial for quick and effective recovery. If not, the condition will progress, eventually developing into Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN).

Healthcare experts once believed TEN was a different disease entirely, but they have since discovered that both TEN and SJS exist on the same disease spectrum. TEN is a far more deadly version of SJS. That is why receiving the appropriate diagnosis as soon as possible is so vital.

However, the early symptoms of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome are similar to those of the flu and other seasonal diseases, which makes it hard to diagnose accurately.

Some common symptoms of SJS include:

• Fever
• Skin pain
• Reddish/purplish rash that spreads across the skin
• Blisters or sores on the mucous membranes
• Shedding skin
• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Burning sensation across your body
• Burning eyes
• Swelling eyes

While SJS affects around 10% of your skin, TEN impacts almost 30%. Additionally, SJS only kills about 10% of individuals, while TEN claims the lives of 50% of those who have it. 75% of cases are the result of an allergic reaction to medications, so patients should cease taking these drugs if they suspect SJS or TEN.

As you can see, getting an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment is crucial. If not, you may suffer from the long-term effects of SJS.

Common Long-Term Effects

Unfortunately, many patients don’t receive the treatment they need, whether because their doctor misdiagnosed them or missed the condition entirely. Whenever this condition goes untreated, it can result in significant (and often disabling) complications. In extreme cases, it can even result in death.

Even patients who survive the initial episodes of SJS or TEN can still experience these severe and chronic symptoms. Even patients that receive adequate treatment early can still suffer from the long-term effects of SJS.

Long-Term Skin Issues

Unsurprisingly, some of the most common long-term complications of SJS involve the skin. After all, the disease affects a significant portion of the skin. Even those who receive treatment early on can still fall victim to these complications, some of which include:

• Pruritus: This condition is an unpleasant sensation that gives the person the urge to constantly scratch. It can be in one area or all over your body and is defined by an acute or chronic itching sensation.
• Hyperhidrosis: This condition causes unusually excessive sweating that does not have to be related to heat or exercise. The sweat is so much it soaks through your clothes and can drip off of you, leading to social anxiety and embarrassment.
• Skin Discoloring: Due to the nature of the disease, your skin will detach from the body. When the condition begins to heal, it can leave the pigmentation in your skin discolored.
• Abnormal Skin Dryness

Long-Term Eye Issues

As we’ve mentioned before, SJS also affects the mucous membranes of the eyes. In extreme cases, this condition can impact your eyesight and even lead to blindness. Some of the long-term eye effects of SJS include:

• Corneal Xerosis: Abnormal dryness of the cornea
• Entropion: This condition occurs when one or both of your eyelids turns inwards, causing your eyelashes and skin to rub on the surface of your eye.
• Trichiasis: This condition is when your eyelashes grow inwards toward your eyes, rubbing against the surface of your eye and causing irritation.
• Symblepharon: This condition occurs when one or both eyelids stick to the eyeballs, either partially or completely.
• Light Sensitivity
• Vision Impairment or Blindness

Other Long-Term Effects

• Onychodystrophy: This condition refers to the various issues in nail morphology, which include detachment of the nail from the nail bed or fingernails that grow back abnormally.
• Alopecia: This is a condition that causes your hair to fall out, and it may never grow back.
• Lung Damage: Bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and scarring of the esophagus
• Genitourinary Abnormalities: These abnormalities can include urethral erosions, inflammation of the head of the penis in men, and narrowing of the opening of the vagina or abnormal adhesion of the labia in women.
• Dry Mouth
• Impaired Taste

Contact a Medical Malpractice Attorney

As you can see, the long-term effects of SJS are significant. Many of these issues can lead to physical and psychological pain and suffering for the individual. Their overall quality of life will reduce. In extreme cases, these complications can even lead to an untimely death.

If you or someone you love suffered from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome due to an allergic reaction to a medication or a doctor’s failure to diagnose you properly, contact Wormington & Bollinger and let us fight for the justice you deserve.