title: Comparative study of flip-top transplantation and punch grafting in stable vitiligo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because of limitations of medical treatment in vitiligo, various surgical techniques have been devised. There is a scarcity of comparative studies of surgical techniques in vitiligo.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness and side-effect profile of flip-top transplantation (FTT) and punch grafting (PG) in patients with stable vitiligo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with stable vitiligo were treated using PG and FTT on 26 lesions; 156 grafts were taken (78 PG, 78 flip-top grafts). They were graded for response in the form of repigmentation as excellent (91-100%), very good (76-90%), good (51-75%), fair (31-50%), poor (<30%). Onset and maximum pigment spread were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five percent of our patients showed excellent repigmentation with FTT, versus 50% with PG (p = .44). Thirty percent of patients with FTT and 40% with PG had side effects. The differences in onset of repigmentation, completion, and pigment spread between the two techniques were statistically significant (p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Flip-top transplantation was equally effective as PG for treating vitiligo, although graft uptake rate was higher with FTT, with more pigment spread, and cost less.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Maulana Azad Medical College and L.N.J.P. Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sudhanshu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Vijay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Rashmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.forename: Vineet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Relhan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult