Incidence of Skin Sensitivity Following Dermabond Application in Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery

Dermabond (Dermabond; Ethicon, Sommerville, NJ), is a skin adhesive commonly utilized in pediatric orthopedic surgery for postoperative wound care. Few studies have examined outcomes of Dermabond exposure in children. The purpose of this study is to estimate the incidence of skin reactions following Dermabond exposure in pediatric orthopedic surgery and investigate potential risk factors associated with Dermabond sensitivity.

This was a retrospective study of a level-one pediatric trauma center. All orthopaedic surgeries in 2019 were screened for Dermabond application. Three surgeons with the highest rates of Dermabond application defined our cohort. Out of 2990 surgeries in 2019, the 3 surgeons performed 234 surgeries with Dermabond. Postoperative reactions and repeat Dermabond exposures were collected for these 234 patients. Subjects with known allergies to Dermabond were excluded. Reactions were defined. as discoloration, irritation, and wound dehiscence. Significant differences between patients with repeat Dermabond exposures and those without were determined using χ 2 analysis. Associations between patient characteristics and sensitivity were determined using logistic regression analysis. P values less than 0.05 were considered significant.

In all, 234 patients were included for analysis. The mean age at surgery was 12.5 years (SD 6.1), and 39% (92/234) of the cohort was male. Thirty-two patients (14%) experienced skin reactions during the study period (95% CI=7%-19%). Reactions most frequently included. erythema (10/32; 31%) and itchiness (10/32; 31%). Reactions were most frequently treated with oral antibiotics, Benadryl, or a dressing change. Of 144 patients with 1 Dermabond exposure, 17 (12%) experienced reactions (95% CI=7%-18%). Of 128 patients experiencing a repeat Dermabond exposure, 27 (21%) experienced reactions (95% CI=19%-34%, P =0.03). Age, surgical procedure, and surgical location were not, associated with a variable rate of sensitivity.

Sensitivity to Dermabond after pediatric orthopedic surgery occurred at a higher rate than seen in adults, and patients with multiple Dermabond exposures experienced significantly higher sensitivity than patients with a single exposure. Increased awareness of this potential complication is needed to help inform decisions regarding Dermabond's application in pediatric orthopedics.