A comparison of dermabond tissue adhesive and sutures in the primary repair of the congenital cleft lip.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the long-term cosmesis of Dermabond (octyl-2-cyanoacrylate) and traditional skin sutures among patients undergoing primary cleft lip +/- palate repair.


METHODS
Eleven patients underwent photographic analysis following primary cleft lip +/- palate repair, including the use of Dermabond. Eleven age-matched controls who underwent cleft lip +/- palate repair with traditional suture closure served as controls. Cosmesis was assessed by 3 blinded plastic surgeons using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Hollander Wound Evaluation Scale (HWES).


RESULTS
The overall mean VAS score for the patients treated with and without Dermabond was 70.0 (SD, 9.5) and 68.3 (SD, 13.4), respectively (P = 0.46). The overall mean HWES score for the patients treated with and without Dermabond was 1.7 (SD 1.7) (P = 0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
Dermabond tissue adhesive offers equivalent mature wound cosmesis as traditional suture closure in the repair of the congenital cleft lip +/- palate.
Knott
P Daniel
PD
The Cleveland Clinic Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Zins
James E
JE
Banbury
Jillian
J
Djohan
Risal
R
Yetman
Randall J
RJ
Papay
Francis
F
D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery; D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D004146:Dioxanes; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011091:Polyesters; D011098:Polyglactin 910; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013537:Sutures; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D004146:Dioxanes; D011091:Polyesters; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D011098:Polyglactin 910; C095495:glycolide E-caprolactone copolymer; C100832:octyl 2-cyanoacrylate