TRANSPLANTATION OF MELANOCYTES IN VITILIGO

We report the results of a study on 100 patients (aged 12-68) with vit iligo, who were treated by transplantation of cultured autologous mela nocytes to the depigmented areas, after removal of the epidermis at th e recipient site by dermabrasion. The melanocytes were cultured from a 2x3 cm(2) superficial shave biopsy taken from pigmented buttock skin. After 2-3 weeks in culture, 700-1000 cells per mm(2) were applied on 60-500 cm(2) dermabraded areas, and occluded for 1 week, The repigment ed portion of the total treated area amounted to 95-100% in 40 patient s, 65-94% in 32, 20-64% in 22, and 0-19% in six. It was more difficult to achieve complete pigmentation on the fingers, elbows and knees, In the first few months following the procedure, the treated areas were often hypo- or hyperpigmented, but after 6-8 months they had acquired the same colour as the surrounding skin, No scarring or other side-eff ects occurred. The donor site had repigmented after 3-6 months in all but: two patients, who also showed poor pigmentation in the transplant ed areas, At follow-up after 1 and 2 years in 50 and 10 patients, resp ectively, the repigmented areas remained unchanged. The method is time -consuming, but the results obtained indicate that the procedure can b e valuable in motivated patients, when the extent of vitiligo does not exceed 30% of the total body area, and when the areas to be treated a re not actively extending.