Surgical treatment of vitiligo

ABSTRACT

Vitiligo, a common depigmenting disorder, of possible autoimmune etiology, is generally managed by use of PUVA therapy and steroids. Surgery has been increasingly used in recent years for patients with stable lesions which are resistant to medical therapy, and is now recognized as a useful form of treatment. We report our experience in thirteen patients treated with surgery. Various surgical techniques were tried in these patients, as follows; Suction blister grafting in five patients, thin thiersch grafting in six patients and punch grafting in two patients. A total of 35 patches, amounting to about 140sq.cm have been treated. These patients have been followed up to a maximum of 3 years. The results show excellent take of the graft in nearly 94% of lesions. Very few complications were seen. Recurrence of lesions was noted in one patient. Donor area showed only mild pigmentation in all cases. Our xperience shows that suction blister grafting is best suited for small areas and for face. Thin thiersch grafting is recommended for larger areas. Punch grafting, the easiest of these Methods, is best used as an adjuvant to PUVA therapy. The article discusses details of the study with a review of the literature