Treatment of recalcitrant vitiligo by autologous non-cultured and trypsinized melanocyte grafting in the west of Iran

Background: Vitiligo is a common disease with a high burden, and its recalcitrant type is unresponsive to current medical treatments. Autologous non-cultured and trypsinized melanocyte grafting, which is a simple and experience-based procedure, has been suggested for the treatment of vitiligo. Objective: To assess autologous non-cultured and trypsinised melanocyte grafting in recalcitrant vitiligo. Methods: This clinical trial was done on 28 patients (20 females and 8 males). After demarcation and preparation of both donor and recipient sites, both sites were shaved by a curette. The materials harvested from the donor site were trypsinized and centrifuged. The resulting suspension was mixed with hyaluronic acid get and was spread over the shaved recipient area. Results: Twenty-eight patients with a total of 108 lesions and a mean age of 25.93 +/- 7.11 years were included in the present study. Generalized vitiligo (57.1%) was the most common clinical type and the face and neck regions (38%) were the most frequent treated sites. Good to excellent repigmentation was seen in the face and neck, trunk, upper extremity, and genitals in 31 (57.4%), 11 (20.4%), 9 (16.7%) and 3 (5.5%) patients, respectively. Face and neck showed significantly better results (p < 0.05). Study limitations: Low sample size and single-center study. Conclusion: Autologous non-cultured and trypsinized melanocyte grafting is a safe method with satisfactory outcomes in recalcitrant vitiligo. Appropriate training of physicians and proper use of specialists' experiences can be effective in increasing the improvement rate. (C) 2022 Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. on behalf of Sociedade Brasileira de Dermatologia.