Outcome of Repeated Use of Donor Site for Noncultured Epidermal Cellular Grafting in Stable Vitiligo: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: Noncultured epidermal suspension (NCES) is a surgical technique which employs cellular grafting onto depigmented lesions. However, scarring and dyschromia at the donor site often occurs. OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of reusing the same donor site in subsequent sessions of NCES procedures. METHODS: Electronic records of vitiligo patients who had undergone two sessions of NCES procedures were retrospectively reviewed. Information on the first and second NCES was retrieved for analyses. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients (female 19 and male 11) were included. The majority of patients had nonsegmental vitiligo (66.7%). The median donor-to-recipient ratios were 1 : 3 (1 : 1–1 : 20) for the first session and 1 : 3 (1 : 1–1 : 13.5) for the second session (p=0.661). The mean melanocyte count was 220.7 ± 65.5 cells/mm(2) vs. 242.4 ± 55.3 cells/mm(2) on the first and second sessions, respectively (p=0.440). The mean repigmentation rate was 84.2% (±21.1%) and 82.3 (±22.1%) for the first and second NCESs, respectively (p=0.645). The frequency of color mismatch and pigment loss were similar between both sessions (p=0.706 and p=1.000). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated use of donor sites in subsequent NCES sessions gave comparable repigmentation.