Recurrent cardiac tamponade with stevens–Johnson's syndrome – A rare deadly combo

Abstract

Pericardial effusion is an accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac. It is caused by exudative or transudative collections. Large effusions can lead to a life-threatening condition called tamponade if not intervened properly. Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis are life-threatening cutaneous drug reactions in which the epidermis is separated from the dermis. The diagnosis mainly relies on the clinical signs and histopathology of skin lesions. Immunological mechanisms, reactive drug metabolites, or interactions between these two are proposed. Here, we report a case of recurrent cardiac tamponade with SJS secondary to empirical antituberculous therapy.