Biomaterial Database

Cutaneous necrosis and multinucleate epidermal cells associated with intravenous phenytoin. 1995

S J Hunt

Division of Dermatology, UCSD Medical Center, San Diego, California 92103, USA.

A 23-year-old white man experienced burning pain up his right forearm while receiving phenytoin intravenously in the dorsal wrist. Swelling occurred, followed a few days later by an erythematous eruption that eventuated in superficial skin sloughing. The histopathology of two right forearm biopsies, taken a few days apart 3 to 4 weeks after the infusion, was characterized by partial epidermal necrosis and frequent multinucleate keratinocytes. Localized cutaneous reactions to phenytoin and the occurrence of multinucleate epidermal cells in inflammatory skin disease are reviewed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007275	Injections, Intravenous	Injections made into a vein for therapeutic or experimental purposes.	Intravenous Injections,Injection, Intravenous,Intravenous Injection
D008297	Male		Males
D009336	Necrosis	The death of cells in an organ or tissue due to disease, injury or failure of the blood supply.
D010672	Phenytoin	An anticonvulsant that is used to treat a wide variety of seizures. It is also an anti-arrhythmic and a muscle relaxant. The mechanism of therapeutic action is not clear, although several cellular actions have been described including effects on ion channels, active transport, and general membrane stabilization. The mechanism of its muscle relaxant effect appears to involve a reduction in the sensitivity of muscle spindles to stretch. Phenytoin has been proposed for several other therapeutic uses, but its use has been limited by its many adverse effects and interactions with other drugs.	Diphenylhydantoin,Fenitoin,Phenhydan,5,5-Diphenylhydantoin,5,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2,4-dione,Antisacer,Difenin,Dihydan,Dilantin,Epamin,Epanutin,Hydantol,Phenytoin Sodium,Sodium Diphenylhydantoinate,Diphenylhydantoinate, Sodium
D002467	Cell Nucleus	Within a eukaryotic cell, a membrane-limited body which contains chromosomes and one or more nucleoli (CELL NUCLEOLUS). The nuclear membrane consists of a double unit-type membrane which is perforated by a number of pores; the outermost membrane is continuous with the ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM. A cell may contain more than one nucleus. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Cell Nuclei,Nuclei, Cell,Nucleus, Cell
D003875	Drug Eruptions	Adverse cutaneous reactions caused by ingestion, parenteral use, or local application of a drug. These may assume various morphologic patterns and produce various types of lesions.	Dermatitis Medicamentosa,Dermatitis, Adverse Drug Reaction,Maculopapular Drug Eruption,Maculopapular Exanthem,Morbilliform Drug Reaction,Morbilliform Exanthem,Drug Eruption,Drug Eruption, Maculopapular,Drug Eruptions, Maculopapular,Drug Reaction, Morbilliform,Drug Reactions, Morbilliform,Eruption, Drug,Eruption, Maculopapular Drug,Eruptions, Drug,Eruptions, Maculopapular Drug,Exanthem, Maculopapular,Exanthem, Morbilliform,Exanthems, Maculopapular,Exanthems, Morbilliform,Maculopapular Drug Eruptions,Maculopapular Exanthems,Morbilliform Drug Reactions,Morbilliform Exanthems,Reaction, Morbilliform Drug,Reactions, Morbilliform Drug
D004817	Epidermis	The external, nonvascular layer of the skin. It is made up, from within outward, of five layers of EPITHELIUM: (1) basal layer (stratum basale epidermidis); (2) spinous layer (stratum spinosum epidermidis); (3) granular layer (stratum granulosum epidermidis); (4) clear layer (stratum lucidum epidermidis); and (5) horny layer (stratum corneum epidermidis).
D004890	Erythema	Redness of the skin produced by congestion of the capillaries. This condition may result from a variety of disease processes.	Erythemas
D005542	Forearm	Part of the upper extremity in humans and primates extending from the ELBOW to the WRIST.	Antebrachium,Antebrachiums,Forearms
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man