Follow these tips to apply Dermabond
Follow these tips to apply Dermabond
Dean Toriumi, MD, offers these tips for applying Dermabond, a tissue adhesive approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August. Toriumi is an associate professor in the division of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery in the department of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
To apply, crush the inner glass ampule contained within a plastic vial that has an attached applicator tip. Then hold the edges of the wound together and "paint" on the sterile liquid, which is slightly more viscous than water.
"It looks simple; however, it does take a little practice," Toriumi says. "On occasion it does run, so you need to use the surface tension of the applicator to keep the adhesive at the surgical site. Also, make sure the surgical surface is flat so the adhesive won’t run off the side of the surgical field."
Toriumi also recommends using multiple, thin layers rather than one thick application. "This gives you more control," he says.
Allow about 30 seconds between each application for the adhesive to dry and form a strong yet flexible waterproof coating. This coating protects the wound during the normal healing process and sloughs off gradually and painlessly, which eliminates the need for suture removal.
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