• Hajir Adl, Erika Henkelman, and Ran D Goldman.
• Can Fam Physician. 2021 Apr 1; 67 (4): 260-262.

QuestionA 4-year-old child presented to my office recently with a 2-cm forehead laceration. The child had needle phobia and was very upset, so suturing in the office might have been very challenging. The parents were also concerned about the use of suture. Can topical skin adhesives (TSAs) be used instead of sutures, and what factors should be considered?AnswerLacerations in children are common and TSAs are useful alternatives to sutures. They achieve comparable outcomes to suturing in appropriately selected wounds. Appropriate lacerations are small, superficial, appropriately cleaned, and have well approximated edges that are not under tension. Complications such as wound dehiscence and infection are rare and cosmetic outcomes are comparable to sutures. Using TSAs can also save time, minimize patient anxiety, and eliminate the need for suture removal.Copyright© 2021 the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

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