Comparsion of "2-octyl-cyanoacrylate" and suture in the closure of skin graft

Year 1998, Volume: 11 Issue: 2, 83 - 90, 01.03.1998

T. Şapçı A. Karavuş G. Yıldırım H. Onmuş M. Gürdal İ. Kurtuluş

Abstract

Objective: Every year emergency clinics are accepting many patients having traumatic injuries. Suturing the lacerated injury using local anesthetics and injection materials creates stress and fear in patients; besides suturing is a time taking procedure. The cyanoacyrylate derivatives that have been first used as tissue glues in 1950 have improved quite a lot up to date. At present they are being used in various areas of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

Methods: In this study a total of 8 adult Wistar albino rats have been used; 6 of them being the study group and 2 of them being the control group. On the back of 2 rats pediculated and rectangle shaped (2x4 cm in size) skin flaps; on the back of another 2 rats triangle shaped skin flaps and finally on the remaining 2 rats rectangle shaped skin flaps with irregular edges (traumatic) were elevated. Then Coaptex® (2-octyl- cyanoacrylate) tissue glue has been applied underneath the flaps and flaps were glued back to their original places. In the control group (2 rats) pediculated rectangle shaped (2x4 cm) skin flaps were elevated and have been stitched back to their places using 4/0 silk thread.

Results: In the study group very good clinical and cosmetic healing was observed, in the control group mild edema was detected first, then at later stages this edema slowly disappeared. No other problem worth mentioning was detected, fn the histopathological evaluation subcutaneous moderate foreign body reaction was detected in the study group

(Coaptex group), however epidermis had healed completely. In the control group, however, severe acute inflammation was detected in all layers of incision, epidermis had disappeared with superficial ulceration taking its place and no regeneration being present underneath.

Conclusion: We believe tissue glues can be used with confidence in the treatment of lacerations because they give cosmetically and histopathologically very good results. They can be applied easily and quickly, they give no pain to the patient and they do not require local anesthesia.

Keywords

Tissue glue, 2-Octyl-cyanoacrylate, skin flaps

References

• Trott AT. Cyanoacrylate tissue adhesives (An Advance in wound care). JAPTA 1997;277:1559- 1560.