Autologous Epidermal Grafting Using a Novel Negative Pressure Epidermal Harvesting System in a Case of Stable Vitiligo

摘要

Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder of the skin with a great amount of social stigma attached to it. Though various medical modalities are available for the treatment of stable vitiligo, surgical modality remains the treatment of choice for stable and localized vitiligo. The surgical options range from simple punch grafting to the recent epidermal harvesting methods using a negative pressure unit. Although successful use of multiple methods of epidermal grafting has been reported, most of them are cumbersome and time-consuming. The new automated epidermal harvesting system now commercially available involves a tool that applies both heat and suction concurrently to normal skin to induce epidermal micrografts. Hence it serves as a safe, quick and cost-effective method without anesthesia, with a very minimal downtime for healing and requires an optimal expertise. The duration of repigmentation seems to be faster and more uniform compared to other procedures. We would like to share our experience with the negative pressure epidermal harvesting method in a patient with stable vitiligo.