Non-cultured Epidermal Cell Suspension Transplantation Using Suction Blisters to Treat Refractory Vitiligo: A Retrospective Study of 20 Cases.
- Author:
Jung Min BAE
1
;
Han Mi JUNG
;
Han Na LEE
;
Ro Woo LEE
;
Sung Hye EUN
;
Hyuck Sun KWON
;
Ji Hae LEE
;
Gyong Moon KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Dermatology, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea. jminbae@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Cellular grafting;
MKTP;
NCES;
Suction blister;
Vitiligo;
Transplantation
- MeSH:
Blister*;
Centrifugation;
Female;
Humans;
Hyperpigmentation;
Korea;
Phototherapy;
Retrospective Studies*;
Suction*;
Surgical Wound Infection;
Thigh;
Tissue Donors;
Transplantation;
Trypsin;
Vitiligo*
- From:Korean Journal of Dermatology
2018;56(7):426-432
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: As nonsurgical interventions for vitiligo are not always successful, various surgical modalities have been used in patients with refractory vitiligo. Of these, non-cultured epidermal suspension transplantation (NCES) was recently introduced to treat large recipient sites using cells from small donor tissue. OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effectiveness and safety of NCES as a surgical treatment for patients with refractory vitiligo. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 20 cases in 17 patients (11 females; median age 25 years) who underwent NCES from July 2015 through March 2018. Suction blisters (20 mm in diameter) were collected from the patient's inner thigh at a donor-to-recipient area ratio of 1:5. After the addition of 5 mL recombinant trypsin solution to the suction blisters, followed by incubation at 37℃ for 60 min, epidermal cells were manually scraped off the blister surface, and epidermal cell suspension was obtained by centrifugation at 1,500 RPM for 5 min. The suspension was applied to the vitiligo regions after epidermal ablation of those regions. Phototherapy resumed 1 month later. Treatment success was defined as ≥75% repigmentation of the surgical site, and all adverse events were noted. RESULTS: Overall, 85.0% of cases (17/20) exhibited treatment success. Adverse events included hyperpigmentation (20%) and surgical site infection (5%), but the treatment was tolerable in all cases. CONCLUSION: NCES is a reliable surgical option for patients with vitiligo refractory to nonsurgical treatment. Large areas of vitiligo can be treated by NCES, and use of this technique should be encouraged in Korea.
