Cyanoacrylate Adhesives for Cutaneous Wound Closure.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Wound Healing Research
• Surgical Adhesives

Background:

• Cyanoacrylate adhesives are common for wound closure, offering cosmetic benefits and patient comfort.
• Concerns exist regarding potential cytotoxicity from cyanoacrylate biodegradation products.
• Comparative studies on different cyanoacrylate formulations for skin closure are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the efficacy of four cyanoacrylate adhesives against nylon sutures for closing skin incisions in rats.
• To assess tensiometric and histopathological outcomes at various time points post-closure.

Main Methods:

• 140 rats underwent 5.0 cm midline skin incisions, closed with n-2-ethyl-cyanoacrylate (G1, G2), n-2-butyl-cyanoacrylate (G3), n-2-octyl-cyanoacrylate (G4), or nylon sutures (G5).
• Tensiometric and histopathological analyses were conducted on days 3, 7, 14, and 21.
• Histopathology included evaluation of inflammatory cells, granulation tissue, collagen deposition, and VEGF-α expression.

Main Results:

• Octyl cyanoacrylate (G4) showed the shortest wound closure and adhesion times.
• Nylon sutures (G5) provided superior tensiometric resistance on days 3 and 7, but decreased thereafter.
• Butyl (G3) and octyl (G4) cyanoacrylates demonstrated greater resistance on days 14 and 21.
• Cyanoacrylate groups exhibited less intense inflammatory reactions and shorter healing times compared to nylon sutures.
• VEGF-α expression was higher in G2 (ethyl-cyanoacrylate) and lower in G4 (octyl-cyanoacrylate) at peak times of D7 and D14.

Conclusions:

• Cyanoacrylate adhesives, particularly butyl and octyl variants, offer comparable or superior long-term wound resistance to nylon sutures.
• These adhesives generally induce less inflammation and promote faster healing than traditional sutures.
• Further research into the biodegradation products and long-term safety of cyanoacrylates is warranted.