Treatment of vitiligo with autologous epidermal transplantation using the roofs of suction blisters

WYM Tang, LY Chan, KK Lo
Social Hygiene Service, Department of Health, Social Hygiene Clinic, 3/F Lek Yuen Health Centre, Shatin, Hong Kong

We report our experience of autologous epidermal transplantation for three patients with vitiligo. The vitiligo in two patients was stable whereas that in the third was active. Autologous epidermal transplantation using suction blister roofs from normally pigmented skin was performed following the failure to repigment skin using topical steroid and/or psoralen�ultraviolet A treatment. Grafts were well taken in all three patients. Satisfactory repigmentation was noted in the two patients who had stable vitiligo; there were no complications except for mild hyperpigmentation at the donor areas. For the patient who had active vitiligo, depigmentation of the graft and concomitant Koebner's phenomenon at the donor site were observed 3 weeks after the procedure. We conclude that autologous epidermal transplantation using the roofs of suction blisters is an excellent and safe repigmenting procedure for stable, localised vitiligo and that active disease precludes transplantation.

Hong Kong Med J 1998;4:219-24

Key words: Epidermis/surgery; Vitiligo/therapy; Transplantation, autologous