Background: Sutures, staples and adhesive tapes
are the traditional methods of wound closure, whilst
tissue adhesives have entered clinical practice more
recently. Tissue adhesives offer the advantages of
no risk of needle stick injury and no requirement to
remove sutures later.

Objectives:To determine the relative effects of
various tissue adhesives and conventional skin
closure techniques on the healing of surgical wounds.

Materials & Methods: Screening of only eligible
RCT studies and data extraction were conducted
independently and in triplicate whilst assessment
of the methodological quality of the trials were
conducted independently and in duplicate.

Results were expressed as random effects models using mean
difference for continuous outcomes and relative
risks with 95% confidence intervals for dichotomous
outcomes. Heterogeneity was investigated including
both clinical and methodological factors.

Results: 60 cases of inguinal hernia and recurrent
appendicitis skin closure were studied to compare the
results of cyanoacrylate glue and subcuticular sutures
with 2-0 prolene as closure technique. Mean age was
15-30 years. The average time taken (p=0.0001) and
average hospital stay (p=0.0000). Was statistically
significant and better in the glue group. The cosmetic
outcome (P value=0.522), wound complications,
difference of the Hollander Wound Evaluation Scale
(p=1.9479) Were statistically not significant.
 

Conclusion: Tissue adhesive has got a distinct
advantage over sutures. Time taken for closure
is low, antibacterial property of tissue adhesive
decreases the incidence of wound infection. Hospital
stay is decreased and thus cost effective. Needle stick
injuries to the surgeon, hematoma formation in the
wound edges is reduced and long- term follow up
shows cosmetically better scars than sutures.

Keywords: Cyanoacrylate glue; Tissue adhesives;
Subcuticular sutures; Hollander wound evaluation
score; Low tension skin incisions; Cosmesis