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Case Reports
. 2013 Sep-Oct;88(5):811-3.
doi: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20132054.

Non-cultured melanocyte/keratinocyte transplantation for the treatment of stable vitiligo on the face: report of two cases

Mariana Gontijo Ramos  1 , Daniel Gontijo Ramos, Gabriel Gontijo, Camila Gontijo Ramos, Tania Nely Rocha, Rafael Henrique Rocha
Affiliations
Case Reports

Non-cultured melanocyte/keratinocyte transplantation for the treatment of stable vitiligo on the face: report of two cases

Mariana Gontijo Ramos et al. An Bras Dermatol. 2013 Sep-Oct.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

There are many alternatives to treat vitiligo, including surgical procedures, which are recommended for patients resistant to other therapies. The melanocyte/keratinocyte transplantation consists in the separation of epidermal cells obtained from a donor site and spreading these cells on the depigmented and dermabraded recipient area. Two patients were submitted to transplantation, showing more than 70% repigmentation in the treated areas after four months, both with excellent degree of satisfaction. The method requires some laboratory skills, but represents a simple and safe procedure.

Existem várias alternativas para o tratamento do vitiligo, incluindo procedimentos cirúrgicos, que são indicados para pacientes refratários aos outros tipos de tratamento. O transplante de suspensão celular de melanócitos/queratinócitos consiste na separação de células da epiderme obtidas de área doadora, e aplicação destas células na área receptora despigmentada, após dermoabrasão. Dois pacientes com vitiligo estável foram submetidos ao transplante de suspensão de melanócitos/queratinócitos, apresentando repigmentação acima de 70% nas áreas tratadas após quatro meses, ambos com excelente grau de satisfação. O método requer alguma habilidade laboratorial, mas representa um procedimento simples e seguro.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
A. Vitiligo lesion on the periorbital region before transplantation of melanocyte suspension; B. Vitiligo lesion on the periorbital region two months after transplantation of melanocyte suspension; C. Vitiligo lesion on the periorbital region four months after transplantation of melanocyte suspension
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
A. Vitiligo lesion on the forehead region before transplantation of melanocyte suspension; B. Vitiligo lesion on the forehead region four months after transplantation of melanocyte suspension
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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