A randomized trial comparing octylcyanoacrylate tissue adhesive and sutures in the management of lacerations

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a new tissue adhesive for laceration closure.

Design: A prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: An adult teaching hospital.

Participants: One hundred thirty patients with 136 lacerations who consented to enrollment during a 5-month period. The lacerations included all eligible nonmucosal facial lacerations, as well as selected extremity and torso lacerations (not on hands, feet, or joints). One hundred six lacerations were available for early follow-up, and 98 were available for 3-month evaluation.

Interventions: Lacerations were randomly allocated to have skin closure with octylcyanoacrylate adhesive or monofilament suture.

Main outcome measure: A 3-month photograph of the wound was assigned a cosmesis score on a previously validated 100-mm visual analog cosmesis scale by a plastic surgeon who was unaware of the method of wound closure.

Results: There were no differences in the mean visual analog cosmesis scores (67 mm for octylcyanoacrylate vs 68 mm for sutures; P=.65). Similarly, there was no difference in the percentage of early (80% vs 82%; P=.80) or late (72% vs 75%; P=.74) optimal wound evaluation scores. The tissue adhesive was a faster method of wound repair (3.6 vs 12.4 minutes; P<.001) as well as being less painful (visual analog pain scores, 7.2 vs 18.0 mm; P<.001).

Conclusions: Octylcyanoacrylate tissue adhesive effectively closes selected lacerations. This relatively painless and fast method of wound repair can replace the need for suturing several million lacerations each year.