Lyell syndrome due to ticlopidine

The antiplatelets drug ticlopidine is widely used in patients suffering from cardiomyopathies, coronary cardiopathies and thromboembolic pathologies. The potential and frequently seen side effects are diarrhoea, hematological dyscrasias and rashes. We describe a case in which the use of ticlopidine in the treatment and prophylaxis of transit ischemic attacks triggered the unusual and rare complication of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). We will then go on to analyse the clinical-pathological aspects and therapies through the use of i.v. immunoglobulins at high dosages that led to a full recovery of the patient.