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Allergic contact dermatitis to Dermabond

Question:

4/2/2018
I have a patient referred to me by ortho for testing to dermobond that will be used during knee replacement. She reported she is allergic to band aids /all tapes (her skin sloughs off) but ok with paper tapes. She has had prior knee replacement which was uneventful and done by different surgeon using staples. This time the surgeon would like to use dermobond. No other known contact allergy except nickel. She tolerated titanium. Do you think it would be reasonable for me to put a drop of dermobond on the skin as if "patch testing" with negative control? Are you aware of reported reactions to this material? Any other test you can recommend?

Answer:

In the most recent case report among rare allergic contact dermatitis reactions to the topical skin adhesive cited below, Drs. Davis and Stuart describe a patch test protocol. They note the reaction resolved with administration of topical corticosteroids, obviating the need to remove the Dermabond.

Davis M, Stuart M. Severe allergic dermatitis to dermabond prineo, a topical skin adhesive of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate increasingly used in surgeries to close wounds. Dermatitis 2016; 27(2):75.

Patricia McNally, MD, FAAAAI