Recent developments and clinical applications of surgical glues: An overview

Novel developments in surgical glues for sealing wounds, surgical incision and tissue healing was inspired by limitations related to other surgical techniques. Sealants or bioadhesives are considered as a promising candidate over sutures, staples for sealing of air and gas leakages with minimal scarring in different surgeries. Their physical, biological properties and adhesive strength have encouraged many surgeons for employing them in clinical practice. Commonly, various natural biopolymers such as fibrin, collagen, gelatin, albumin, chitosan are used for the preparation of surgical glues. These biopolymers mimic the mechanism of physiological interaction such as blood clotting process. Besides natural polymers, synthetic polymers are also incorporated in surgical glues. Several sealants or adhesives are available commercially and have been used for neurosurgery, orthopaedic, periodontal, ophthalmic, cardiovascular, pneumothoracic, gastrointestinal, plastic and reconstructive surgery. This article focuses on providing a comprehensive review on the development of surgical glues, their unique features and application in clinical practice. In addition to the advantages of these sealants, the insights on their limitations, especially biocompatibility and tissue elasticity have been covered. Although the use of surgical glues is increasing gradually, the next generation of products should be marketed after extensive clinical studies and adequate safety and efficacy data.