Treatment of vitiligo with suction epidermal grafting by the use of an ultrapulse CO2 laser with a computerized pattern generator.
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.
Oh
C K
CK
Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, 1-10 Ami-dong, Seo-Ku, Pusan 602-739, Korea.
Cha
J H
JH
Lim
J Y
JY
Jo
J H
JH
Kim
S J
SJ
Jang
H S
HS
Kwon
K S
KS
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*
D002245:Carbon Dioxide