Test systems for evaluation of cyanoacrylate tissue adhesives

A series of tests permitting evaluations of cyanoacrylates as tissues adhesives is presented. Closed coaption of skin is an effective, rapid screening test capable of identifying weak and strong adhesives under use conditions, and is more sensitive for this purpose than bond strength determinations employing aortic lap joints. Tensile strength testing employing skin incisions closed with cyanoacrylates permits evaluation of the continuing effects of cyanoacrylate upon healing skin. In this test system, a number of alkyl cyanoacrylates provides results equivalent to those obtained with sutures. The incorporation of cyanoacrylates into subcutaneous implants permits evaluation of the effects of these materials upon fibroplasia and collagen elaboration, the most critical aspects of wound repair. Implant testing also permits estimation of rates of resportion of cyanoacrylates from subcutaneous deposits.