Author(s)

Martijn P. J. Loonen, Marc A. M. Depoorter

Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at the Sint-Jan Hospital, Bruges, Belgium.

Dermabond Protape (2-octyl-cyanoacrylate and pressure sensitive adhesive mesh; Prineo, Closure Medical Corporation) is a topical mesh and skin adhesive that forms a strong polymeric bond across opposed wound edges allowing the normal healing process to occur. No published studies have already compared the use of a topical mesh en skin adhesive in wound closure. This study evaluated the possible applications of a combined mesh-adhesive system in 100 plastic surgery operations (14 different surgical procedures) with a mean follow-up of 85.5 days. The rate of allergic reaction, infection, wound dehiscence and hypertrophic scar formation were recorded in relation to patient co-morbidities, medication and tobacco consumption. No technical restrictions were found during the Dermabond Protape application. The average time for the topical mesh and skin adhesive application was 2 minutes. The Dermabond protape was removed 7 through 10 days after the operation. Three patients (3/100 or 3%) reported an allergic reaction without increased scar formation. Hyper-inflammation in one or more wound areas with a micro-abscess were noted in 11 different patients probably due to polyglactin 910 (vicryl) sutures at their scheduled follow-up visit 1 week after their operation. Increased tissue inflammation and scar formation were found in these patients with hypertrophic scars in 1 patient (1/11 or 9.1%). One upper leg wound dehiscence was seen in a diabetes mellitus patient using corticosteroids. Two patients (2/100 or 2%) with a history of tobacco abuse showed a partial wound dehiscence after an abdominoplasty and a partial areola dehiscence after mamma reduction respectively (Table 2).

Skin Mesh; Skin Adhesive; Wound Closure

M. P. J. Loonen and M. A. M. Depoorter, "Dermabond Protape (Prineo) for Wound Closure in Plastic Surgery," Modern Plastic Surgery, Vol. 2 No. 2, 2012, pp. 20-23. doi: 10.4236/mps.2012.22005.