Transdermal photopolymerized adhesive for seroma prevention

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a synthetic photo polymerized tissue adhesive (polyethylene oxide hydrogel) is useful in sero ma prevention using a well established rat mastectomy seroma model. Twenty- three Sprague-Dawley rats received mastectomies. The rats were randomly ass igned to either the control group (n = 13) or the experimental group (n = 1 0). The control animals received 0.2 cc of saline into the wound before clo sure. The experimental group received either 0.2 cc (n = 5) or 0.4 cc (n = 5) of the polyethylene oxide polymer into their wounds before closure. The experimental animals were placed under an ultraviolet A lamp for 3 minutes to polymerize the adhesive. On postoperative day seven, the resultant serom as were quantified, and wound tissues were harvested for histologic evaluat ion. The rats in the control group had a mean seroma volume of 3.25 cc (SD = 2.41), whereas the rats treated with polymer had a mean seroma volume of 0.37 cc (SD = 0.51). A Student's t test was performed showing a statistical ly significant difference between the control and experimental groups (p < 0.005). The volume of polymer used (0.2 cc versus 0.4 cc) did not significa ntly impact the volume of the resultant seromas. This study demonstrates th at photopolymerizable polyethylene oxide hydrogels can be used as a tissue adhesive and that such an adhesive significantly reduces seroma formation i n the rat mastectomy model.