Octylcyanoacrylate skin closure in laparoscopy.

OBJECTIVES: Octylcyanoacrylate (Dermabond) is a dermal bond useful in closing surgical skin incisions. We compared skin octylcyanoacrylate with subcuticular skin sutures to close laparoscopic trocar sites.

METHODS: A randomized, double-armed, prospective study was performed with 59 patients, in whom 228 trocar sites were closed. Twenty-nine patients underwent subcuticular closure of laparoscopic incisions, and 30 patients received closure with octylcyanoacrylate. Sutured trocar sites were closed with subcuticular 4-0 absorable suture. Octylcyanoacrylate wounds received closure in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ). The number of sutures or vials of octylcyanoacrylate used, closure times, and postoperative wound problems were recorded. Wounds were assessed 2 weeks postoperatively for healing complications. Closure costs were estimated using published operating room time per hour plus the cost of octylcyanoacrylate or suture. The Student paired t test was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The overall mean time for skin closure using octylcyanoacrylate and suture was 3.7 minutes and 14 minutes, respectively (P<0.00001). An average of 2.2 packets of suture were used to close all port sites, while those closed with octylcyanoacrylate required an average of 3.4 vials per patient. Wound complications consisted of subcuticular seroma with skin separation. No difference was noted in complication rates between the 2 groups. Overall average cost per closure using octylcyanoacrylate was 198 dollars while cost for closure using suture was 497 dollars (P<0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic port-site skin closure with octylcyanoacrylate is rapid and effective. Closure with octylcyanoacrylate yields cost savings and a decrease in operative time of more than 9 minutes per case.