Investigation of surgical adhesives for vocal fold wound closure

Surgical adhesives are increasingly used for vocal fold microsurgery to assist wound closure and reduce the risks of scar formation. Currently used vocal fold adhesives such as fibrin glue, however, have thus far not been found to promote wound closure or reduce scarring. The objectives of this study were to investigate the mechanical strength and the cytotoxicity of three commercially available adhesives (Glubran 2, GEM, Viareggio, Italy; BioGlue, CryoLife, Kennesaw, GA; and Tisseel, Baxter Healthcare, Deerfield, IL) for vocal fold wound closure.

Shear and tension tests were performed on 150 porcine larynges. The cytotoxicity of the adhesives to immortalized human vocal fold fibroblasts was investigated using neutral red uptake assays.

The average shear adhesive strength for Tisseel, BioGlue, and Glubran 2 was 13.86 ± 5.03 kilopascal (kPa), 40.92 ± 17.94 kPa, and 68.79 ± 13.29 kPa, respectively. The tensile adhesive strength for Tisseel, BioGlue, and Glubran 2 was 10.70 ± 6.42 kPa, 34.27 ± 12.59 kPa, and 46.67 ± 12.13 kPa, respectively. The vocal fold cell viabilities in extracts of Tisseel, BioGlue, and Glubran 2 were 99.27%, 43.05%, and 1.79%, respectively.

There was a clear tradeoff between adhesive strength and toxicity. The maximum failure strength in shear or tension of the three surgical adhesives ranked from strongest to the weakest was: 1) Glubran 2, 2) BioGlue, and 3) Tisseel. Tisseel was found to be the least toxic of the three adhesives, whereas Glubran 2 was the most toxic.

NA Laryngoscope, 129:2139-2146, 2019.