Surgical glues: are they really adhesive?

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Medical Device Testing
• Surgical Adhesives

Background:

• Standardized testing is needed to evaluate surgical sealant efficacy.
• Quantifying bioadhesive strength is essential for comparing available surgical glues.
• The bulge-and-blister test offers a convenient method for measuring adhesion energy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a standard test for approving surgical sealant efficacy.
• To adapt the industrial bulge-and-blister test for the surgical field.
• To quantify the adhesion of bioadhesives used in surgery.

Main Methods:

• Equine pericardium samples were bonded using a surgical sealant.
• A bulge-and-blister test was performed by injecting pressurized water to create a blister.
• Adhesion energy was determined by measuring critical pressure at delamination using optical profilometry.

Main Results:

• The bulge-and-blister test was successfully applied to equine pericardium samples bonded with Dermabond cyanoacrylate glue.
• The average practical adhesion energy measured was 2.3 Jm⁻² (SD 1.5 Jm⁻²).

Conclusions:

• The bulge-and-blister test effectively quantifies surgical glue adhesion in a surgical context.
• This standardized test enables objective comparison of different surgical glues.
• Further studies on bonding conditions will enhance understanding of surgical adhesion characteristics.