Biological Glue as an Alternative to Suction Drainage in Tissue-Expanded Flaps in Children: Cost-Effectiveness Study

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Biological glue is utilized as a hemostatic agent and tissue adhesive in plastic surgery.
• Tissue expanders are commonly used in reconstructive surgery, particularly in pediatric patients.
• Suction drainage is a standard method for managing fluid accumulation after flap surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate biological glue as an alternative to suction drainage for adhering tissue-expanded flaps in pediatric patients.
• To compare the efficacy and safety of biological glue versus traditional suction drainage in pediatric flap procedures.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective, multicenter case-control study involving 48 flap procedures on 42 pediatric patients (5 months-12 years).
• Patients were divided into two groups: biological glue (n=24) and suction drainage (control, n=24).
• Matching criteria included age, etiology, lesion location, and expander size. The primary endpoint was hospital stay duration.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in average surgical duration or room occupancy time between the glue and control groups.
• The biological glue group demonstrated a significantly shorter average hospital stay (1.5 days) compared to the suction drainage group (3.6 days).
• Complication rates were similar between the two groups, indicating comparable safety profiles.

Conclusions:

• Biological glue is a reliable option for adhering tissue-expanded flaps in pediatric patients, comparable to suction drainage.
• The use of biological glue offers the significant advantage of reducing hospital stay duration.
• This approach may facilitate outpatient management for select pediatric patients undergoing flap reconstruction.