Allergic contact dermatitis to Dermabond Prineo after abdominal wound closure for anterior lumbar interbody fusion: case report

BACKGROUND: Dermabond Prineo is popular for wound closure due to its anti-microbial attribute, ease of application, and patient comfort. Reports of allergic contact dermatitis have increased, likely due to increased usage, mostly in breast augmentations and joint replacements. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of allergic contact dermatitis following spine surgery. CASE DESCRIPTION: This case involved a 47-year-old male with a history of two posterior L5-S1 lumbar microdiscectomies. Dermabond Prineo was used in the revision microdiscectomy with no skin complications noted. Six weeks after revision microdiscectomy, the patient underwent discectomy and anterior lumbar interbody fusion of L5-S1, again closed with Dermabond Prineo. One week later, the patient presented with allergic contact dermatitis around his incision, which was treated with topical hydrocortisone and diphenhydramine. Around the same time, he was diagnosed with post-operative pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: Previous studies have suggested that repeated usage and duplicate coverage with 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (Dermabond Prineo) correlate with an increased risk of allergic reaction. Type IV hypersensitivity reactions require an initial sensitization to the allergen and subsequent re-exposure for reaction. In this case, the revision microdiscectomy closed with Dermabond Prineo functioned as the sensitization and repeated usage in a subsequent discectomy caused an allergic reaction. Providers should be aware of the increased risk of allergic reaction when using Dermabond Prineo for repeat surgeries.