Fibrin sealant and parotidectomy wound complications in 100 patients

Purpose: To determine whether the use of fibrin sealant impacted the rate of postoperative wound complications following parotidectomy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive parotidectomies with and without fibrin sealant. Primary outcomes were development of seroma, sialocele, abscess, or hematoma within the first 30 days as well as length of hospital stay for drain output if one was placed. Secondary outcomes analyzed wound complications based on several patient and surgical factors. Results: In our cohort, there were 82 superficial parotidectomies (82%), and the most common pathology was pleomorphic adenoma (39%) followed by Warthin’s tumor (27%). Fibrin sealant was used in 46 patients (46%). Postoperative wound complications occurred in 20 patients, and were not statistically different with or without fibrin sealant placement (23.9% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.454). Fibrin sealant did not significantly reduce wound complications regardless of tissue volume removed, use of acellular dermis, history of smoking, diagnosis of diabetes, or active anticoagulant/antiplatelet use. Only four patients without fibrin sealant (7.4%) required hospitalization beyond 24 h for high drain output. Conclusions: In our retrospective cohort, the development of postoperative wound complications following parotidectomy did not appear to be significantly impacted by the use of a fibrin sealant.