ObjectiveTo explore the effects of human-derived fibrin glue on prevention of postoperative complications of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in early esophageal squamous cancer and precancerous lesions. MethodsA total of 210 patients with early esophageal squamous cancer or precancerous lesions who underwent ESD at Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University from April 2017 to April 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Seventy-three cases (79 esophageal lesions) where human-derived fibrin glue was used before retrieving endoscope were included in the observation group, while 137 cases (156 esophageal lesions) where fibrin glue was not used were included in the control group. The postoperative complications and pain were compared between the two groups. ResultsClinical data including general information, longitudinal length, Paris type, pathological type, invasion depth, circumferential range, area of resection, duration of operation and local steroid used were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidences of perforation, delayed bleeding and esophageal stenosis in the observation group were 2.7% (2/73), 1.4% (1/73), and 16.4% (12/73), respectively, and were 2.9% (4/137), 1.5% (2/137), and 13.1% (18/137), respectively in the control group. There were no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative pain in the observation group was 53.4% (39/73), which was significantly lower than that in the control group of 70.8% (97/137) (χ2=6.302, P=0.012). The incidences of mild, moderate and severe pain in observation group on the day of ESD were 9.6% (7/73), 6.8% (5/73) and 5.5% (4/73), respectively, and 27.0% (37/137, χ2=8.724, P=0.003), 17.5% (24/137, χ2=4.554, P=0.033) and 0.7% (1/137, χ2=2.805, P=0.094), respectively in the control group. The incidences of mild, moderate and severe pain in the observation group on the first day after the operation were 26.0% (19/73), 5.5% (4/73) and 6.8% (5/73), respectively, and 29.2% (40/137, χ2=0.237, P=0.626), 14.6% (20/137, χ2=3.912, P=0.048) and 4.4% (6/137, χ2=0.193, P=0.660), respectively in the control group. The corresponding incidences on the second day after the operation were 5.5% (4/73), 0 and 1.4% (1/73) in the observation group and 19.0% (26/137, χ2=7.087, P=0.008), 2.9% (4/137) and 0 in the control group, respectively. ConclusionHuman-derived fibrin glue shows no obvious preventive effect on post-ESD bleeding, perforation or stenosis in early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions. However, it can significantly reduce the incidence of ESD-related postoperative pain, especially the incidences of mild and moderate pain.