title: Noncultured epidermal suspension transplantation for the treatment of stable vitiligo in children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgery is a well-established treatment for stable vitiligo in adults. However, there are few studies to date reporting the use of surgery in children and adolescents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy and safety of transplantation of autologous noncultured epidermal suspension for the treatment of stable vitiligo in children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Noncultured epidermal suspension transplantation was performed in 13 children and adolescents (age 8-17 years), with a total of 19 lesions of stable vitiligo. Patients were followed up for at least 1 year. Results were assessed for degree of repigmentation, colour match compared with normal skin, and adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 19 lesions, 15 (79%) had > 90% repigmentation at the end of 1 year, and the remaining 4 lesions (21%) had 75-90% repigmentation. Results were not influenced by age, gender, site or size of lesions, type of vitiligo, or duration of stability of disease, although the small sample size makes conclusions tentative. The colour match at the final visit was excellent for 16 of the 19 lesions (84.2%). No major adverse effects were seen except for infection at the recipient site in one patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplantation of noncultured epidermal suspension is a safe and effective treatment for stable vitiligo in childhood. Considering its good efficacy and safety as a day-care procedure under local anaesthesia, it may be considered one of the treatments of choice for stable vitiligo in children and adolescents, especially for cases resistant to other therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sahni
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parsad
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kanwar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000601:surgery*