Comparative Effectiveness of Cyanoacrylate Bioadhesives and Monofilament Suture in Wound Healing: A Histopathological and Physicochemical Study in New Zealand White Rabbit

Comparative performance of suture and cyanoacrylate adhesives of different alkyl chain length for wound healing were compared in-vivo in New Zealand White rabbits. The alkyl chain length of the cyanoacrylate adhesive determines its effectiveness in tissue repair. The n-butyl cyanoacrylate (BCN) adhesive is very aggressive on the rabbit skin due to high exothermal reaction whereas wound closures with ethyl cyanoacrylate (ECN) and n-octyl cyanoacrylate (OCN) are adequate and similar. No significant alterations were found in the standard biochemical and haematological parameters test. When ECN and OCN adhesives are used, the wounds close with little inflammation, the edges are not separated and the tissues throughout the joined areas and nearby are normal. However, due to BCN stiffness, closed wounds show opened edges and intense inflammation. ECN and OCN adhesives present advantages vs. suture, i.e. less time for application, good confrontation of both sides of the incision, immediate haemostasis, less inflammation and absence of infection.Financial support of the Spanish Research Funding Agency (MICYNN) - PET2008-0264 and MAT2009-10234 projects - is acknowledged