Closure of long surgical incisions with a new formulation of 2-octylcyanoacrylate tissue adhesive versus commercially available methods.

BACKGROUND: Topical 2-octylcyanoacrylate tissue adhesive is an alternative to traditional devices for closing short surgical incisions.

METHODS: An open-label, randomized study compared a new high-viscosity formulation of 2-octylcyanoacrylate with commercially available devices, including low-viscosity 2-octylcyanoacrylate, for epidermal closure of incisions > or = 4 cm requiring subcutaneous and/or deep-dermal suturing.

RESULTS: Of patients with 1 to 3 wounds, 106 were treated with high-viscosity 2-octylcyanoacrylate and 103 with commercially available devices. The day-10 rates of healing by wound were 96% and 97% for study versus control treatment and 97% and 95% for new and old 2-octylcyanoacrylate formulations versus other controls, respectively. Day-10 infection rates by wound were 4 of 145 versus 7 of 131 for study versus control treatment and 6 of 207 and 5 of 69 for new and old 2-octylcyanoacrylate versus other controls, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The new tissue adhesive formulation provides epidermal wound closure equivalent to commercially available devices with a trend to decreased incidence of wound infection.