Ultrathin Skin Grafting Versus Suction Blister Epidermal Grafting in the Treatment of Resistant Stable Vitiligo: A Self-Controlled Comparative Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND Surgical therapies are effective methods to treat resistant stable vitiligo, with each method having advantages and disadvantages. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of ultrathin skin grafting (UTSG) and suction blister epidermal grafting (SBEG) to treat stable vitiligo. METHODS A total of 15 patients with 45 vitiligo patches were recruited. Each vitiligo patch was divided in half; 1 half was treated by UTSG, whereas the other half was treated by SBEG. The patients were followed up monthly for 3 months to assess the repigmentation rate, relative melanin index (RMI), and relative erythema index (REI) at different timepoints. RESULTS Excellent repigmentation was observed in 97.8% of patches that underwent UTSG and 93.3% that underwent SBEG. The RMI and REI at 1, 2, and 3 months after the grafting procedure did not significantly differ between the 2 methods. At the recipient site, incomplete fall-off of the graft occurred in 4.4% of patches that underwent UTSG, whereas a “cobblestone appearance” was observed in 66.7% of patches that underwent SEBG. UTSG caused fewer complications at the donor site than SBEG. CONCLUSION Compared with SBEG, UTSG is faster and achieves better cosmetic outcomes at the recipient and donor sites.