Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Comparative Properties of Ethyl,
n
-Butyl,
and
n
-Octyl Cyanoacrylate Bioadhesives
Intended for Wound Closure
Ana María Villarreal-Gómez , Rafael Torregrosa-Coque ,
and José Miguel Martín-Martínez
5.1
Introduction
Adhesives intended for use in the bonding of human tissues can be called bioad-
hesives. One of the advantages of using bioadhesives to join human tissues as
compared to the traditional suture is the creation of homogeneous and uniform
distribution of stresses all along the joint. Furthermore, the bioadhesives are easy
to apply, they are less traumatic to patient, their use reduces the surgical time,
avoids the mechanical damage produced in the tissues by suture, inhibits scare
formation, and there is no need to remove the remaining sutures or bandages after
surgical practice.
Cyanoacrylate monomer polymerizes mainly in the presence of bases, such as
water. Skin has a high concentration of water, so cyanoacrylate monomers can be
used as adhesives for surgical practice and wound closure. Cyanoacrylate mono-
mers also produce strong and quick adhesion in wound closure.
Since 1950 cyanoacrylate monomers have been used as adhesives [
1,
2
] . Several
recent studies [
3-
12
] have shown the effectiveness of different bioadhesives as an
alternative to suture practice. Particularly, cyanoacrylate adhesives have shown
excellent performance as skin adhesives, surgical glues, and embolitic materials
[
4-
7
], in skin closure, in plastic surgery, or in osteosynthesis (ethyl cyanoacrylate
(ECN) polymerized by ultrasounds) [
8,
9
], in the therapeutic embolization of cere-
bral arteriovenous malformations, in gastric variceal bleeding or corneal perfora-
tions [
10,
11
], as well as in ocular strabismus surgery [
12
] . Cañizares-Grupera
A. M. Villarreal-Gómez
Bioadhesives Medtech Solutions , Elche , Alicante 03206 , Spain
e-mail: ana.villarreal@adhbio.com
R. Torregrosa-Coque J. M. Martín-Martínez (
*
)
Adhesion and Adhesives Laboratory , University of Alicante , Alicante 03080 , Spain
e-mail: rafael.torregrosa@ua.es ; jm.martin@ua.es
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