Suction blister epidermal grafting: A novel technique for the treatment of stable vitiligo

oleh: Rohit Batra, S C Bharija

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2012-01-01

Deskripsi

Background: Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder of great cosmetic concern. Various sophisticated surgical techniques are used to treat vitiligo. Suction blister epidermal grafting (SBEG) is a relatively simple and inexpensive technique. Aim: To demonstrate the safety and efficacy of SBEG in patients with stable vitiligo. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Smt Shardaben Municipal Hospital, Smt N.H.L Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad. A total of 60 patients (71.7% were female and 86% were below the age of 30 years) with stable vitiligo underwent SBEG treatment between May 2007 and August 2009. The extent of pigmentation on follow-up was measured using serial photographs and comparing them with the preoperative documented photographs. The results of the treatment were classified as excellent, good and fair-to-poor on the basis of repigmentation. Results: The mean duration of vitiligo among the patients was 7.42 (5.4) years, the range being 1.5–23 years. At the end of 24 weeks, colour match was observed to be excellent in 36 patients (60%), good in 19 (31.7%) and fair to poor in 5 (8.3%). Perilesional hypopigmentation (15%) and hyperpigmentation (10%) were the common complications at the recipient site, while hyperpigmenation (21.7%) and infection (8.3%) were the common complications observed at the donor site. The overall success rate of the SBEG procedure was 91.7%. Conclusion: SBEG is a safe and effective outpatient treatment modality to treat stable vitiligo.