Surgical techniques for vitiligo: a review.

Although the treatment of vitiligo has improved during the last decade, therapy is still not satisfying for many patients. This is probably due to the fact that the aetiopathogenesis is unknown. Several treatment modalities, such as PUVA, UVB and local corticosteroids are currently used in the treatment of active vitiligo. However, these treatments usually induce incomplete repigmentation. Surgical methods intended to repigment leucoderma are an interesting therapeutic option if patients have stable disease. Two types of surgical techniques are available: tissue grafts and cellular grafts, with in between autologous cultured epithelial grafts. Tissue grafts are full-thickness punch grafts, split-thickness grafts and suction blister grafts. With tissue grafts, only a limited surface area can be treated but with good results in the majority of cases. Cellular grafts include non-cultured keratinocytes/melanocytes and cultured melanocytes. The exact success rate of repigmentation with cellular grafts is still unknown, since only a small number of studies have been published. Starting from autologous cellular suspensions, epithelial grafts of various compositions can be cultured in vitro. They can be used for larger areas. The purpose of this review is to describe the applications of different surgical techniques used to treat recalcitrant vitiligo.