The use of tissue adhesive for skin closure in body contouring surgery.
BACKGROUND
Abdominoplasty and mammoplasty are cosmetic surgeries that demand relatively more time for skin closure.


METHODS
Skin closure with 4.0 Mononylon (Ethicon, Summerville, NJ, USA) continuous subcuticular suture and with Dermabond (Ethicon, USA) (octylcyanoacrylate) was compared among 37 patients who had undergone body contouring surgery (23 abdominoplasties and 14 mammoplasties). Each side of the scar, randomly selected, was closed either with adhesive or suture. The time required for skin closure and the aesthetic aspect of these scars were compared. Three observers evaluated the scars at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively using a categorical and a modified visual analog scale.


RESULTS
The average time for closure using suture was 7 min and 45 s for the abdominoplasty and 4 min and 25 s for the vertical incision of the mammoplasty. This was significantly different statistically, as compared with the 2 min required for polymerization of the skin adhesive. The mammoplasty and abdominoplasty scars showed no statistical difference at 3, 6, and 12 months according to both scales.


CONCLUSIONS
The aesthetic aspects of the mammoplasty and abdominoplasty scars were similar on both sides at 3, 6, and 12 months. However, the adhesive allowed a shorter surgical time.
Nahas
Fabio Xerfan
FX
Universidade Federal de São Paulo/EPM, Disciplina de Cirurgia Plástica, Brazil. fabio-nahas@amesp.com.br
Solia
Danielle
D
Ferreira
Lydia Masako
LM
Novo
Neil Ferreira
NF
D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000601:surgery*; D001938:Brazil; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000517:prevention & control; D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000379:methods*; D009757:Nylons; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D009757:Nylons; C119247:octylcyanoacrylate