Dermabond tissue adhesive versus Steri-Strips in unilateral cleft lip repair: an audit of infection and hypertrophic scar rates.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to compare the infection and hypertrophic scar rates in unilateral cleft lip repairs, having had Steri-Strips or Dermabond tissue glue applied across the repair as the final stage.

DESIGN

Retrospective study over 13 years of 307 unilateral cleft lip repairs by a single surgeon. The application of either Steri-Strips from 1992 to 1998 (121 patients) or Dermabond tissue adhesive from 1998 to 2006 (186 patients) was used in the final stage of the repair.

SETTING

Regional Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate Care, South West of England.

PARTICIPANTS

307 consecutive unilateral cleft lip patients seen from 1992 to 2006.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES AND

RESULTS

There were five (4%) infections in the Steri-Strip group. All infections were with Staphylococcus aureus. No infections occurred in the Dermabond group (p< .001). There were 15 (12%) hypertrophic scars in the Steri-Strip group and 33 (18%) hypertrophic scars in the Dermabond group (p= .142). Revision surgery was required in a total of seven (6%) patients in the Steri-Strip group. No revisions were required in the Dermabond group (p. 1).

CONCLUSION

We found a lower infection and revision rate and a similar hypertrophic scar rate when Dermabond was used instead of Steri-Strips in the final stage of unilateral cleft lip repair and suggest this study further supports the use of octyl-2-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive in unilateral cleft lip repair.