Treatment of stable vitiligo by melanocye enriched epidermal cell suspension.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of melanocyte- enriched epidermal cell suspension for the treatment of stable vitiligo. The study was carried out on 30 patients with stable vitiligo. After the removal of thin skin grafts containing only epidermis by silver skin grafting knife, the skin was incubated in trypsin for one hour to separate the dermis, if found, from epidermis, then centrifuged and washed in a melanocyte medium. Then, the melanocyte-enriched cell suspension was applied to the dermabraded depigmented skin. The study showed that the re-pigmented portion of the treated area was 95-100% in 22 patients. It was more difficult to achieve a complete re-pigmentation on the feet, fingers and elbows. Color matching was good and scar formation was not observed