Punch grafting versus suction blister epidermal grafting in the treatment of stable lip vitiligo.
BACKGROUND
Among surgical methods, punch skin grafting (PSG) and suction blister epidermal grafting (SBEG) are simple, inexpensive, and effective treatment methods for resistant lip vitiligo cases, but there is a lack of comparison between these procedures for lip vitiligo.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to compare the outcome following PSG and SBEG in stable lip vitiligo.


METHODS
Eighteen patients with stable lip vitiligo were randomly selected. Eight patients were included in PSG group and 10 patients in SBEG. All patients were kept on PUVA-SOL (psoralen+ultraviolet A therapy of solar origin) treatment after grafting. The results were evaluated after a follow-up period of 6 months.


RESULTS
At the end of 6 months of grafting in PSG group, two patients had a repigmentation of 50% to 75%, one had 75% to 90%, and three had 90% to 100% in the recipient site in lip. In SBEG group, one patient had repigmentation of 50% to 75%, three had 75% to 90%, and two had 90% to 100%. The color match was statistically significant in PSG when compared to SBEG. In the recipient site, cobblestone appearance was the predominant complication in PSG whereas hyperpigmentation and thickening of grafts were common in SBEG. In the donor site, superficial scarring and hypopigmentation were the common findings in PSG group whereas hyperpigmentation was the main problem in SBEG group.


CONCLUSIONS
Although both the procedures are effective in lip vitiligo, PSG gives a better color match than SBEG.
Babu
Aravind
A
Department of Dermatology and STD, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India.
Thappa
Devinder Mohan
DM
Jaisankar
Telanseri J
TJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004817:Epidermis / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*