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Review
. 2014 Nov;15(6):236-239.
doi: 10.1177/1757177414551562. Epub 2014 Nov 30.

The antibacterial effect of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (Dermabond®) skin adhesive

Jeremy L Rushbrook  1 , Grace White  1 , Lizi Kidger  1 , Philip Marsh  1 , Thomas Fo Taggart  1
Affiliations
Review

The antibacterial effect of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (Dermabond®) skin adhesive

Jeremy L Rushbrook et al. J Infect Prev. 2014 Nov.

Abstract

Dermabond® is a tissue adhesive commonly used for wound or surgical incision closure. Its use has previously been associated with a reduction in wound infection, and it has been thought to act as a physical barrier to bacteria accessing the wound. This study aimed to establish whether the Dermabond® adhesive demonstrated any intrinsic antimicrobial properties. Solidified pellets of Dermabond® were placed on standardised Agar plates cultured with a variety of pathogens. Inhibition of growth was demonstrated against Gram-positive bacteria. Culture swabs taken from the inhibition rings demonstrated no growth, suggesting that Dermabond has a bactericidal mechanism of action. Based on the design of this study, the results suggest that Dermabond® demonstrates bactericidal properties against Gram-positive bacteria. Its use for wound closure following surgical intervention may reduce postoperative wound infection by Gram-positive organisms.

Keywords: Dermabond®; hip replacement; knee replacement; orthopaedic surgery; prevention; surgical site infection; tissue adhesive; tissue glue.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interest: The author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Photograph showing custom mould used to create pellets
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Photograph showing no inhibition of growth of a Gram-negative bacteria (A) and inhibition of growth of a Gram-positive bacteria (B) around the pellets of Dermabond®
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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