The patient, Levi Lewis of Harrodsburg, was born with a condition known as giant congenital pigmented nevus. It resulted in what resembled a large hairy mole covering his front and back torso and extending down to his upper thighs.
Smaller simple moles, or nevi, commonly occur in one in 100 births. Lewis' disorder effects a much larger area of the body and occurs in only one in 20,000 newborns.
The procedure involved taking a biopsy of Lewis' skin at the Medical Center on Aug. 5.
After removing the nevi, new skin was grafted in small sheets, which measured two inches by two inches. About 21 days are required for the skin to grow in the lab.
According to the company that specializes in the culture tissue technology, approximately 30 patients across the country with Lewis' condition have been treated with this new procedure.
Dr. Henry Vasconez, chief of plastic surgery, said the operation offered several advantages.
"First of all we were able to graft a large area," Vasconez said. "Because the cells were grown in culture from the patient's own skin, there is no chance of rejection and a better opportunity for permanent coverage and closure."
Vasconez also said that because doctors used Lewis' own skin cells for the graft, they were able to shorten his required stay at UK.
"Levi did very well during the surgery and required one blood transfusion," Vasconez. "After surgery, he has been kept on a ventilator and is recovering extremely well so far."
Lewis is recovering in the pediatric intensive care unit of the UK Children's Hospital.
Vasconez said his new skin will remain fragile and need extra protection for several months.
It could take up to a year for it to develop normal feeling.