Woman survives 'losing her skin'
A woman whose entire skin peeled off after a rare reaction to a drug has made a
'miraculous' recovery.
Sarah Yeargain of from San Diego, California, developed the often fatal condition after taking an
antibiotic.
She developed blisters and swelling on her face and within days, her skin was coming off "in
sheets".
Doctors at the University of California Regional Burn Center in San Diego saved her life by
covering her in artificial skin which helped her own skin heal.
She lost skin in her entire body
Dr Daniel Lozano, University of California
Ms Yeargain had taken the antibiotic Bactrim, also known as trimethoprim -sulfamethoxazole or
as co-trimoxazole in the UK, for a nasal infection.
But she experienced a rare severe allergic reaction called toxic epidermal necrolysis, where the
body's immune system malfunctions after it is exposed to a drug.
She first noticed some minor swelling and discoloration in her face, then blistering on her lips and
swelling on her eyes.
Soon, her face, chest and arms were covered in blisters and skin all over her body began to fall
off.
Even the skin on her internal organs and the membranes covering her mouth, throat and eyes
came away.
'A divine hand'
Doctors at the specialist burns unit treated Sarah by covering her entire body with a skin
substitute, called TransCyte.
They also gave her drugs to prevent internal bleeding and her own skin started to grow back.
Her mother Katherine told San Diego's Channel 10 news doctors did not believe her daughter
would survive.
She said: "Generally with 100% sloughing there is a 100% mortality. We just prayed."
Sarah said she was determined to fight the condition. "I wasn't ready to be finished."
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BBC NEWS | Health | Woman survives 'losing her skin'
1/2/2001
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3383581.stm