Fibrin glue versus N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate in corneal perforations.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of fibrin glue and N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate in corneal perforations.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
Forty-one patients (41 eyes) with corneal perforations up to 3 mm in diameter with a positive Seidel's test were randomly assigned to two groups (1 and 2).


METHODS
Group 1 comprised 19 eyes treated with fibrin glue, and group 2 comprised 22 eyes treated with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate.


METHODS
Number of eyes with successful healing, time required for healing, status of corneal vascularization, and complications were compared in the two groups. Power calculation was performed at alpha = 0.05.


RESULTS
Fifteen (79%) eyes had successful healing of corneal perforation in group 1, compared with 19 (86%) eyes in group 2 (P > 0.05) at 3 months' follow-up. The power to detect a difference between the two groups was 10%. Corneal perforation healed within 6 weeks in 12 (63%) eyes in group 1 and 7 (31.8%) eyes in group 2 (P < 0.05). Reapplication of glue was required in six (31.5%) eyes in group 1 and seven (31.4%) eyes in group 2 during the first 3 months of follow-up. The mean number of applications per eye was 1.37 in group 1 and 1.36 in group 2. An increase in deep corneal vascularization was observed in 2 (10.5%) eyes in group 1 and 10 (45.5%) eyes in group 2 (P < 0.05). Giant papillary conjunctivitis occurred in one (5%) eye in group 1 and eight (36.4%) eyes in group 2 (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Fibrin glue and cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive are both effective in the closure of corneal perforations up to 3 mm in diameter. Fibrin glue provides faster healing and induces significantly less corneal vascularization, but it requires a significantly longer time for adhesive plug formation.
Sharma
Ashok
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. grewal@mac.com
Kaur
Ravinder
R
Kumar
Sudarshan
S
Gupta
Pankaj
P
Pandav
Surinder
S
Patnaik
Bijayananda
B
Gupta
Amod
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D004659:Enbucrilate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D004659:Enbucrilate