Toxic　epidermal　necrolysis　(TEN)　is　a　rare,　severe,　life-threatening　skin　disease　and　it　requires　urgent　critical　care,　including　admission　to　the　intensive　care　unit　(ICU).　It　is　characterized　by　fatal　sequelae　and　high　mortality.　Currently,　insufficient　evidence　exists　to　support　the　use　of　any　systemic　adjuvant　therapy,　such　as　cyclophosphamide,　intravenous　immunoglobulin　(IVIg),　or　corticosteroids.　However,　plasmapheresis　has　been　increasingly　valued　by　clinicians　due　to　its　significant　efficacy　and　little　adverse　side　effects.　To　assess　the　efficacy　of　such　treatment,　28　patients　who　were　diagnosed　with　TEN　or　SJS/TEN　overlap　were　continuously　recruited　in　the　ICU　from　February　2009　to　August　2016.　These　patients　including　both　children　and　adults　were　randomly　divided　into　two　groups　based　on　whether　or　not　plasmapheresis　therapy　was　performed　after　admission,　which　resulted　in　a　plasmapheresis　group　(n　=　13)　and　a　non-plasmapheresis　group　(n　=　15).　Severity　of　the　disease　and　the　efficacy　of　treatments　were　evaluated　by　the　severity-of-illness　score　for　TEN.　The　results　indicated　that　plasmapheresis　may　be　superior　to　conventional　therapies,　such　as　IVIg　or　corticosteroids.　Furthermore,　plasmapheresis　combined　with　other　treatments　might　not　be　advantageous　compared　to　the　effect　of　plasmapheresis　alone.　(c)　2017　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.