A comparison of dermabond tissue adhesive and sutures in the primary repair of the congenital cleft lip.

Abstract

To compare the long-term cosmesis of Dermabond (octyl-2-cyanoacrylate) and traditional skin sutures among patients undergoing primary cleft lip +/- palate repair. 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). 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). Dermabond tissue adhesive offers equivalent mature wound cosmesis as traditional suture closure in the repair of the congenital cleft lip +/- palate.