Open AccessPostoperative contact dermatitis caused by skin adhesives used in orthopedic surgery
Author(s) -
Sang Pil So,
Jae Youn Yoon,
Ji Wan Kim
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.59
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1536-5964
pISSN - 0025-7974
DOI - 10.1097/md.0000000000026053
Subject(s) - medicine , contact dermatitis , surgery , wound dehiscence , dehiscence , surgical wound , incidence (geometry) , orthopedic surgery , wound closure , dermatology , wound healing , allergy , immunology , physics , optics
Skin adhesives are used to close clean surgical wounds. We aimed to investigate the incidence of skin adhesive-related contact dermatitis and the characteristics that differentiate it from a surgical site infection. We retrospectively analyzed patients whose surgical wound was closed using a liquid skin adhesive (Dermabond Prineo skin closure system, Ethicon, NJ) by a single surgeon between March 2018 and June 2020. Medical records were reviewed to evaluate complications indicating contact dermatitis, including wound infections and hematomas. We included 143 patients (men, 59; women, 84; mean age, 60.8 years). No patient had an early surgical site infection or wound dehiscence, but 4 (2.8%) developed postoperative contact dermatitis (week 7, 1; week 4, 2; day 9, 1). Manifestations included eczema and pruritus, without local heat or wound discharge. All cases resolved without complications, including infection. Contact dermatitis occurred in 2.8% of patients who received liquid skin adhesive, and the symptoms differed from those of surgical site infection. Patients should be informed about the risk of contact dermatitis before applying a liquid skin adhesive.