Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Adhesion in Medicine

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Adhesion Technology

  • 395 Accesses

Abstract

Adhesives are increasingly being used in medicine for repairing cuts and tears in the body as an alternative to mechanical fixation such as sutures. There are very strict regulations controlling the application of adhesives within the body and this means that there are only a limited number of chemistries which are approved for clinical use. The principal internal adhesives in current use are those based on fibrin, gelatin, and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels and function largely as sealants, though do bond to the tissue surfaces. Cyanoacrylates are approved, mostly only for application to the surface of the skin for wound closure, but are quite widely used in a range of other applications. There are many requirements of an adhesive for internal use and this has led to large number of further systems being proposed. A number of those currently being evaluated for internal indications are described. Some are based on synthetic chemistry, some from biological sources such as marine creatures, and some are akin to welding or soldering.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives are widely used for securing dressings and devices to the skin surface. Most of these are now based on acrylic or silicone chemistries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Artzi N, Shazly T, Baker AB, Bon A, Edelman ER (2009) Aldehyde-amine chemistry enables modulated biosealants with tissue-specific adhesion. Adv Mater 21:3399–3403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass LS, Libutti SK, Kayton ML, Nowygrod R, Treat MR (1996) Soldering is a superior alternative to fibrin sealant. In: Sierra DH, Saltz R (eds) Surgical adhesives and sealants current technology and applications. Lancaster, Technomic, pp 41–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett SL, Melanson DA, Torchiana DF, Wiseman DM, Sawhney AS (2003) Next-generation hydrogel films as tissue sealants and adhesion barriers. J Card Surg 18:494–499

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bitton R, Bianco-Peled H (2008) Novel biomimetic adhesives based on algae glue. Macromol Biosci 8:393–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braunwald NS, Gay W, Tatooles CJ (1966) Evaluation of crosslinked gelatin as a tissue adhesive and hemostatic agent: an experimental study. Surgery 60:857–861

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke SA, Ritter-Jones M, Lee BP, Messersmith PB (2007) Thermal gelation and tissue adhesion of biomimetic hydrogels. Biomed Mater 2:203–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cappello J (1991) Protein engineering for biomaterials applications. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2:582–586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chao H-H, Torchiana DF (2003) BioGlue: albumin/glutaraldehyde sealant in cardiac surgery. J Card Surg 18:500–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chivers RA (2000) In-vitro tissue welding using albumin solder: bond strengths and bonding temperatures Int. J Adhes Adhes 20:179–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chivers RA (2001) Easy removal of pressure sensitive adhesives for skin applications Int. J Adhes Adhes 21:381–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chivers RA, Wolowacz RG (1997) The strength of adhesive-bonded tissue joints. Int J Adhes Adhes 17:127–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donkerwolke M, Burny F, Muster D (1998) Tissues and bone adhesives – historical aspects. Biomaterials 19:1461–1466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duck FA (1990) Physical properties of tissue – a comprehensive reference book. Academic, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Ennker J, Ennker IC, Schoon D, Schoon HA, Dörge S, Meissler M, Rimpler M, Herzler R (1994a) The impact of gelatin-resorcinol glue on aortic tissue: a histomorphologic evaluation. J Vasc Surg 20:34–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ennker J, Ennker IC, Schoon D, Schoon HA, Rimpler M, Herzler R (1994b) Formaldehyde-free collagen glue in experimental lung gluing. Ann Thorac Surg 57:1622–1627

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forooshani PK, Lee BP (2017) Recent approaches in designing bioadhesive materials inspired by mussel adhesive protein. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem 55:9–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert TW, Badylak SF, Gusenoff J, Beckman EJ, Clower DM, Daly P, Rubin JP (2008) Lysine-derived urethane surgical adhesive prevents seroma formation in a canine abdominoplasty model. Plast Reconstr Surg 122:95–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham LD, Glattauer V, Peng YY, Vaughan PR, Werkmeister JA, Tyler MJ, Ramshaw JAM (2006) An adhesive secreted by Australian frogs of the genus Notaden. In: Smith AM, Callow JA (eds) Biological adhesives. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 207–223

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lauto A, Mawad D, Foster JR (2008) Adhesive biomaterials for tissue reconstruction. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 83:464–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee BP, Dalsin JL, Messersmith PB (2006) Biomimetic adhesive polymers based on mussel adhesive proteins. In: Smith AM, Callow JA (eds) Biological adhesives. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 257–278

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lee H, Lee BP, Messersmith PB (2007) A reversible wet/dry adhesive inspired by mussels and geckos. Nature 448:338–341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonard F, Kulkarni RK, Brandes G, Nelson J, Cameron JJ (1966) Synthesis and degradation of poly(alkyl α-cyanoacrylates). J Appl Polym Sci 10:259–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leung JV, Clark JC (1994) Biocompatible monomer and polymer compositions. US Patent 5328687

    Google Scholar 

  • Lontz JF, Verderamo JM, Camac J, Arikan I, Arikan D, Lemole GM (1996) Assessment of restored tissue elasticity in prolonged in vivo animal tissue healing: comparing fibrin sealant to suturing. In: Sierra DH, Saltz R (eds) Surgical adhesives and sealants: current technology and applications. Lancaster, Technomic, pp 79–90

    Google Scholar 

  • MacPhee MJ (1996) Commercial pooled-source fibrin sealant. In: Sierra DH, Saltz R (eds) Surgical adhesives and sealants: current technology and applications. Lancaster, Technomic, pp 13–18

    Google Scholar 

  • MacPhee MJ, Singh MP, Brady R Jr, Akhyani N, Liau G, Lasa C Jr, Hue C, Best A, Drohan W (1996) Fibrin sealant: a versatile delivery vehicle for drugs and biologics. In: Sierra DH, Saltz R (eds) Surgical adhesives and sealants: current technology and applications. Lancaster, Technomic, pp 109–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Marx G (1996) Kinetic and mechanical parameters of fibrin glue. In: Sierra DH, Saltz R (eds) Surgical adhesives and sealants: current technology and applications. Lancaster, Technomic, pp 49–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattamal GJ (2005) US Food and Drug Administration perspective on class I, II and III cyanoacrylate medical devices. In: Quinn JV (ed) Tissue adhesives in clinical medicine, 2nd edn. BC Decker, Hamilton, pp 159–168

    Google Scholar 

  • McDermott MK, Chen T, Williams CM, Markley KM, Payne GF (2004) Mechanical properties of biomimetic tissue adhesive based on the microbial transglutaminase-catalyzed crosslinking of gelatin. Biomacromolecules 5:1270–1279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oz MC, Rondinone JF, Shargill NS (2003) Floseal matrix: new generation topical hemostatic sealant. J Card Surg 18:486–493

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn JV (2005) Clinical approaches to the use of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesives. In: Quinn JV (ed) Tissue adhesives in clinical medicine, 2nd edn. BC Decker, Hamilton, pp 27–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn J, Wells G, Sutcliffe T, Jarmuske M, Maw J, Steill I, Johns P (1997) A randomised trial comparing octyl-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive and sutures in the management of lacerations. JAMA 277:1527–1530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Satas D, Satas AM (1989) Hospital and first aid products. In: Satas D (ed) Handbook of pressure sensitive adhesive technology, 2nd edn. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp 627–642

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sawhney AS, Pathak CP, Hubbell JA (1993) Bioerodible hydrogels based on photopolymerised poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly(α-hydroxy acid) diacrylate macromers. Macromolecules 26:581–587

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sierra DH (1993) Fibrin sealant adhesive systems: a review of their chemistry, material properties and clinical applications. J Biomater Appl 7:309–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sierra DH (1996) Fibrin-collagen composite tissue adhesive. In: Sierra DH, Saltz R (eds) Surgical adhesives and sealants: current technology and applications. Technomic, Lancaster, pp 29–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Silverman HG, Roberto FF (2007) Understanding marine mussel adhesion. Mar Biotechnol 9:661–681

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spotnitz WD, Burks SG, Prabhu R (2005) Fibrin-based adhesives and hemostatic agents. In: Quinn JV (ed) Tissue adhesives in clinical medicine, 2nd edn. BC Decker, Hamilton, pp 77–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Tavakoli SM, Pullen DA, Dunkerton SB (2005) A review of adhesive bonding techniques for joining medical materials. Assem Autom 25:100–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson I (2009) Technical bulletins. Tissuemed Ltd. Available at http://www.tissuemed.com

  • Tysome JR, Harcourt J (2005) How we do it: ionomeric cement to attach the stapes prosthesis to the long process of the incus. Clin Otolaryngol 30:458–460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waite JH (1987) Nature’s underwater adhesive specialist. Int J Adhes Adhes 7:9–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace DG, Cruise GM, Rhee WM, Schroeder JA, Prior JJ, Ju J, Maroney M, Duronio J, Ngo MH, Estridge T, Cocker GC (2001) A tissue sealant based on reactive multifunctional polyethylene glycol. J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 58:545–555

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webster I, West PJ (2001) Adhesives for medical applications. In: Dumitriu S (ed) Polymeric biomaterials, 2nd edn. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 703–737

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson DJ, Chenery DH, Bowring HK, Wilson K, Turner R, Maughan J, West PJ, Ansell CW (2005) Physical and biological properties of a novel siloxane adhesive for soft tissue applications. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed 16:449–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woodward SC, Herrmann JB, Cameron JL, Brandes G, Pulaski EJ, Leonard F (1965) Histotoxicity of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive in the rat. Ann Surg 162:113–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu M, Deming TJ (1998) Synthetic polypeptide mimics of marine adhesives. Macromolecules 31:4739–4745

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dunnington, York, North Yorkshire, UK

    Robin A. Chivers

Authors
  1. Robin A. Chivers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robin A. Chivers .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Lucas F. M. da Silva

  2. Griffith School of Engineering, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Southport Queensland, Australia

    Andreas Öchsner

  3. Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

    Robert D. Adams

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Cite this entry

Chivers, R.A. (2017). Adhesion in Medicine. In: da Silva, L., Öchsner, A., Adams, R. (eds) Handbook of Adhesion Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42087-5_57-2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42087-5_57-2

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-42087-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-42087-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation