Successful Treatment of Segmental Vitiligo in Children with the Combination of 1-mm Minigrafts and Phototherapy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Minigrafts using a 1-mm biopsy punch (1-mm minigrafts) are being increasingly used to treat vitiligo. However, there have been few reports of the use of 1-mm minigrafts in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE:

To examine the effectiveness of combination therapy with 1-mm minigrafts and phototherapy in children with segmental vitiligo.

METHODS:

Minigrafts were placed in 13 patients aged ≤16 years with segmental vitiligo. Following surgery, 11 patients underwent irradiation with excimer laser light and 2 with narrow-band ultraviolet B light.

RESULTS:

A mean repigmentation of 81.6% was obtained. A particularly high mean repigmentation of 87.9% was seen in patients aged ≤12 years, indicating greater efficacy in these patients than in patients aged ≥13 years (mean, 67.5%). Although a transient cobblestone appearance occurred as an adverse effect, it improved over time.

CONCLUSIONS:

Combined treatment of segmental vitiligo with 1-mm minigrafts and phototherapy can be performed safely and is highly effective in young patients.

• Authors: Kenichiro Tsuchiyama, Akiko Watabe, Anna Sadayasu, Nobue Onodera, Yutaka Kimura, Setsuya Aiba
• Journal: Dermatology (Basel, Switzerland) (Dermatology) Vol. 232 Issue 2 Pg. 237-41 ( 2016) ISSN: 1421-9832 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 26836583 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Topics

• Adolescent
• Age Factors
• Child
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Female
• Humans
• Lasers, Excimer (therapeutic use)
• Low-Level Light Therapy
• Male
• Retrospective Studies
• Skin Transplantation (methods)
• Treatment Outcome
• Ultraviolet Therapy
• Vitiligo (therapy)