Treatment of refractory and stable vitiligo by transplantation of in vitro cultured epidermal autografts bearing melanocytes

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“…As regard to the skin type in this present study, twelve patients (60% of cases) are skin type IV and eight patients (40% of cases) skin type III and this work did not find any correlation between the skin type and the result of repigmentation, the same result was obtained by Gauthier and Surleve, [11] but different in comparison to Sobhy [12] who injected the melanocytes suspension obtained from a graft from inner aspect of the thigh to the bullae introduced to vitiliginous area (group II patients) or pouring melanocytes suspention on dermabraded vitiliginous areas (group III patients) and found that skin type IV patients had better prognosis than the skin type III patients, Sobhy [12] found that the higher the skin type the Better the prognosis due to increase the density of melanocytes in donor areas and increasing melanocytic function and melanization of melanosomes in skin type IV patients, this difference from the present study may be due to the small case number in the present study and no patient with higher skin type in this study. This present study did not find any significant correlation between the type of vitiligo and the response to this procedure, this is different in comparison to what found by Flabella [13] who found that the patients with focal vitiligo have a smaller success rate compared with the patients with segmental vitiligo, and this may be due to small cases number in the present study. As regards the sex of the patients in this study there were 13 females and 7 males and this study found no correlation to this item and the result of repigmentation, this is the same as what found by the Gauthier result, [11] Sobhy [12] and flabella [13].…”

“…This present study did not find any significant correlation between the type of vitiligo and the response to this procedure, this is different in comparison to what found by Flabella [13] who found that the patients with focal vitiligo have a smaller success rate compared with the patients with segmental vitiligo, and this may be due to small cases number in the present study. As regards the sex of the patients in this study there were 13 females and 7 males and this study found no correlation to this item and the result of repigmentation, this is the same as what found by the Gauthier result, [11] Sobhy [12] and flabella [13]. In the present study, it was found that the site of the lesions did not significantly affect the result but the mean percentage of repigmentation of the treated area was greater in patients with skin lesions located in the face (89.67±11.76%) compared to those of the patients with skin lesions located in the neck (87.75±13.22%), and those located in the back (86.65±12.53%) and those lesions located in the chest (83.50±14.48%), this is different from the result of Pandya [14] study who found that in the fifty-one sites in 27 patients were chosen for autologous melanocytes transplantation, the most common sites were the feet (45.1%), legs (29.4%), hands (9.8%), knees (3.9%) and the face (3.9%), Pandya [14] results were most favorable on the legs, feet, face and the forearms, and poor on the elbows and the acral areas of the hand.…”

Surgical management of vitiligo

“…We also find patients who show complete repigmentation in some areas, but not in other areas treated surgically at the same time [32]. Partial or complete failure to repigment following different surgical treatments and negative minigraft test has been reported despite clinical stability in the generalized as well as localized type of vitiligo patients [33][34][35][36]. Repigmentation of recipient areas in spite of koebnerization of donor site indicates that autoimmune activity may be different at different sites in the same patient [37].…”

Surgical management of vitiligo - An approach to the patient

“…53 Studies have shown a good repigmentation in 33% to 54% of treated patients. 54,55 This technique has the advantage that a large area can be treated. Hyperpigmentation is an observed side effect which tends to disappear after a few months.…”