Cyanoacrylate Adhesives for Cutaneous Wound Closure

Cyanoacrylate-based adhesives are widely used in wound closure, providing good cosmetic results and little discomfort. However, reports in the literature are found about negative effects that include the release of cytotoxic chemicals during biodegradation. In this study, we sought to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of four cyanoacrylate-based adhesives on the closure of skin incisions in <i>Rattus norvegicus</i>. The animals (<i>n</i> = 140) were divided into five groups of 28 animals each according to the wound closure technique: G1 and G2 (n-2-ethyl-cyanoacrylate); G3 (n-2-butyl-cyanoacrylate); G4 (n-2-octyl-cyanoacrylate); and G5 (5 nylon stitches). Midline incisions measuring 5.0 cm in length were created and closed using the different materials evaluated, and on D3, D7, D14, and D21, tensiometric and histopathological analyses were performed. Shorter wound closure and adhesion times were observed in G4 animals. At D3 and D7, G5 presented greater tensiometric resistance in the animals of G5, with a decrease in D14 and D21 compared to the other groups. On the other hand, the wounds of G3 and G4 were more resistant in D14 and D21, reaching maximum resistance values. Polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells are more prevalent and more granulation tissue was observed in G5. The deposition of type III collagen was more evident in G5, whilst there was no difference in the amount of type I collagen in any of the groups treated with cyanoacrylate adhesives. Larger areas stained positive for VEGF-α in G2 and smaller areas in G4, with peaks at D7 and D14. In general, cyanoacrylate adhesives cause less intense inflammatory reactions, resulting in shorter healing times when compared to nylon sutures.