14-year-old boy with serious skin condition successfully treated at Xinhua Hospital
A 14-year-old boy suffering from a serious skin disease, covering large portions of his body, was successfully treated at Shanghai's Xinhua Hospital.
The boy had a majority of his skin healed and returned home after two-months of treatment.
The boy, who was in critical condition, was sent by an ambulance on September 19, when his skin began rapidly scabbing with a high fever.
His family said the boy started to show red dots on his skin 10 days before, and then the skin turned dark as if being burned.
Doctors confirmed the boy suffered from febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann's disease, a rare and serious skin disease. It develops quickly and the skin develops ulcers and dies soon after, accompanied with fever, headache, stomach ache and abnormal liver function. It's fatal and rare, and there is no effective cure for most patients.
The boy's skin appeared burnt.
After discussion, experts offered anti-infection treatment and then plasma exchange, with continuous renal replacement therapy to control the condition.
"Each step was seriously discussed to assess its advantages and disadvantages, before selecting the most reasonable, innovative and precise treatment for the safety and recovery of the patient," said Dr Yao Zhirong, director of Xinhua Hospital's dermatology department.
The patient's rash had disappeared, and most of his skin had recovered. He was discharged on Thursday, according to the hospital.
Yao said such patients should visit the hospital early for timely diagnosis and treatment. Doctors will continue to follow up on the boys condition.
The boy poses for a picture with medics to celebrate his recovery.
