Cyanoacrylate Tissue Adhesive After Chest Tube Removal in Children

After open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy, it is common to leave a chest tube as a postoperative drain that is typically removed on the first or second postoperative day. Standard technique is to apply an occlusive dressing at the site of chest tube removal using gauze and some form of tape. We reviewed the charts of children who underwent thoracoscopic lung biopsy at our institution for the past 9 years, many of whom left the operating room with a chest tube. When the tube was removed, the site was dressed, based on attending surgeon preference, with either cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive (Dermabond^®; Ethicon, Cincinnati, OH) or a standard dressing with gauze and transparent occlusive adhesive dressing. Endpoints included wound complications and need for a secondary dressing. Of 134 children who underwent thoracoscopic biopsy, 71 (53%) were given a chest tube. Chest tubes were removed at bedside in standard manner after a mean of 2.5 days. In 36 (50.7%) cyanoacrylate was used and in 35 (49.3%) a standard occlusive gauze dressing was used. No patient in either group suffered a wound dehiscence or needed a rescue dressing. There were no wound-related complications or surgical site infections in either group. Cyanoacrylate dressings are effective for closure of chest tube drain sites and appear to be safe. They might also save patients from having to deal with a bulky bandage and the discomfort of having a strong adhesive removed from their surgical site.