title: Treatment of vitiligo with suction epidermal grafting by the use of an ultrapulse CO2 laser with a computerized pattern generator.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laser ablation is used to remove the recipient epidermis in the suction epidermal grafting in vitiligo surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a suction epidermal grafting method after the removal of the epidermis by the use of the Ultrapulse CO2 laser with a computerized pattern generator.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients with 34 lesions of refractory stable vitiligo were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 34 lesion sites, excellent repigmentation was seen in 30 and the other 4 had good repigmentation. No complications occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Ultrapulse CO2 laser is particularly well suited for deepithelialization in vitiligo surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, 1-10 Ami-dong, Seo-Ku, Pusan 602-739, Korea.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013396:Suction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide