Laser assisted Melanocyte cell transplantation (MCT)
Leucoderma (Vitiligo) is a disease which is characterized by chalky white patches that can occur on any part of the body. It affects approximately 1% of the population; both males and females are equally affected. Family history is observed in about 20% of the cases, Patients with vitiligo are at a greater risk of having thyroid disease, anemia & alopecia. Emotional stress, sunburns, certain chemicals like bleaching agents, rubber, use of bindis, tight nylon saris, film developing agents can induce or aggravate leucoderma.

The various treatment options available in vitiligo are Immune suppressive drugs, photochemotherapy (PUVA, UVB), and Vitiligo skin grafting. PUVA helps by increasing the number of functional melanocytes (pigment producing cells) and melanogenesis (pigment production) thus halting the spread of the patches and causing regimentation of the existing patches. Sittings are given thrice a week on alternate days The response i.e. regimentation of the white patches is seen in the form of color spreading around the hair follicles and margins of the patches. It may take 3 months to one year for significant regimentation.

The various treatment options available in vitiligo are Immune suppressive drugs, photochemotherapy (PUVA, UVB), and Vitiligo skin grafting. PUVA helps by increasing the number of functional melanocytes (pigment producing cells) and melanogenesis (pigment production) thus halting the spread of the patches and causing regimentation of the existing patches. Sittings are given thrice a week on alternate days The response i.e. regimentation of the white patches is seen in the form of color spreading around the hair follicles and margins of the patches. It may take 3 months to one year for significant regimentation.

Most of the patients will have good improvement with PUVA, however, white patches over areas as the lips and

the fingertips can be resistant to treatment because these areas lack hair follicles. These areas are best treated by vitiligo skin grafting. Vitiligo grafting is a procedure that is undertaken only if the vitiligo is not responding to medical line of treatment & the disease is stable (i.e. its not spreading).

The latest in the surgical management of vitiligo is Laser assisted Melanocyte cell transplantation (MCT). A technique which originated in Sweden but is now available at our center In the first step of MCT, a very thin skin sample of size approx. 4cm x 2cm is harvested from buttocks. A pigment cell suspension is made from the skin sample after trypsinization.The melanocyte suspension enables us to treat 100 sq cm of vitiligo area.

The latest in the surgical management of vitiligo is Laser assisted Melanocyte cell transplantation (MCT). A technique which originated in Sweden but is now available at our center In the first step of MCT, a very thin skin sample of size approx. 4cm x 2cm is harvested from buttocks. A pigment cell suspension is made from the skin sample after trypsinization.The melanocyte suspension enables us to treat 100 sq cm of vitiligo area.

In the next step Epidermis of vitiligo patch is removed, precisely with the Erbium-YAG Laser, the Melanocyte suspension is then evenly spread on resurfaced area and covered with a collagen dressing. Dressing is removed after 6 days. Earliest pigmentation is noticed at 4 weeks and complete repigmentation occurs in about 2 to 4 months. Melanocyte cell transplantation is extremely effective in stable, non-progressive Vitiligo The main advantages of melanocyte transplant is that large areas can be treated with small donor site. (from just 8 cm of donor area a 100 cm of vitiligo area can be covered!). The procedure has good cosmetic results, repigmentation occurs within 2 to 4 months & the possibilities of side effect like scarring are minimal. All sites excluding palms and soles can be treated.

Phototherapy and Melanocyte cell transplantation are safe and effective treatments, and are giving a new ray of hope for patients suffering from vitiligo.

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