Abstract: Introduction: Split thickness skin graft is usually done for soft skin coverage owing to its broad application for use due to ease of harvest. The healing process occurs through three stages of anchorage, inosculation and maturation.
Aim and Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of Cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive in uptake of split thickness skin graft vs skin staplers in resurfacing the surgical wound bed. To study the frequency of dressing, percentage of graft uptake, post-operative pain in the recipient site, duration of post-operative hospital stay, seroma/hematoma, Graft rejection rate and Operating Time.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted among all patients presenting with chronic extremity ulcers and undergoing resurfacing with skin grafting. Patients were divided into two groups with cases as the Cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive used and controls as the graft fixed with staples and non-adhesive dressing.
Results: Out of total 60 patients, the mean age of all the patients included in the study was 52.03±10.89 yrs. Among the patients included, there was male preponderance (73.3%) and females were 26.7%. Male to female ratio was 2.75:1. On assessment of the post operative pain among the cases and controls, significant higher pain among the controls (36.7%) was seen as compared to cases (6.7%). A significant higher mean of graft uptake was observed in the cases as compared to controls on post operative day 3, 5 and 7, also there was significantly higher rate of complications like seroma, SM and hematoma among the controls as compared to cases. The mean hospital stay in cases was 7.4±1.4 days and among controls it was 9.7±1.0days.
Conclusion: The adhesive skin glue seems to have better tolerance towards the pain during the post-operative period, lesser wound complication, better graft uptake rate and lesser post-operative stay in the hospital with an overall better outcome.