Expanded applications for octyl-2-cyanoacrylate as a tissue adhesive.

The commercial introduction of octyl-2-cyanoacrylate as a medical-grade tissue adhesive was intended to be a rapid, painless, suture-free method for closure of simple lacerations and surgical wounds. The efficiency and therefore potential economic advantage of this material has led to further investigations of other possible indications. This glue has now been used in more than 100 different occasions for "off-label" applications including nailbed repair, skin graft fixation, temporary otoplasty, wound sealant, and other forms of wound closure. Complications are virtually nonexistent, and there has been no evidence of histotoxicity. The role of this material as an important reconstructive tool has not yet been delineated completely, but it appears to have no contraindications if used sensibly.