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Tissue adhesives provide comparable or better outcomes than traditional sutures for repair of simple lacerations. Researchers in Hong Kong prospectively compared outcomes and costs of the two methods in 186 emergency department patients with simple lacerations (<8 cm in length, single layer only) who were randomized to primary wound closure with either traditional sutures or tissue adhesive (2-octyl cyanoacrylate). Costs to the hospital were estimated based on the marginal cost of providing the services, including costs of materials, drugs, medical supplies, and human resources; fixed costs were not included in the analysis.
Clinical outcomes, including cosmesis and rate of complications, were similar in the two groups. Costs to the hospital…