Deep gash. Lots of blood. How can we close the wound? Of course we can resort to old-school stitches. But why not an alternative where the needle and surgical thread are bypassed?

I remember hearing about something like this a while back... I could be way off, but I think they were trying it on patients who had undergone a c-section. Anyone know anything about this?

I think that it would be amazing if this product were further developped and commercialized. It would quickly become another household item like band-aids. Deep cuts could be cleaned and patched at home - therefore, fewer visits to the doctor or the ER. Heck, if it were versatile enough, even scrapes and papercuts can be healed almost instantaneously.

To push even further, how about re-attaching severed limbs? Maybe the glue can be formulated so seek out an re-attach nerve endings... of course that's just letting my imagination run wild.

Comment away.

It did exist, it was marvelous but they had to stop producing it for some reason. I remember seeing it because my uncle works at a farmaceutical industry here in Mexico. I am going to ask him what happened to it as soon as I see him. I remember it could close small wounds, it would not be logical for it to be able to stick a limb back together. Maybe it was just more expensive and less efective than stitches. Actually stitches are not bad, they close the wound better, and look cool. And they dont hurt because by the time they are sewing you up you have all these medecines to kill the pain.

Ever heard of super glue? Yeah, that's what it was made for.

Heh, I hadn’t imagined that super glue’s function extends to holding tissue together post surgery. I guess I’ve always held the stigma that super glue + flesh is a formula to be avoided, especially after reading the ‘caution’ message that comes on the packaging.

Thanks for the enlightening tidbit from Wikipedia.

yeah I heard about it, i think it surface around early 2000-2002 somewhere around that time. it was said it would help keep the scaring down, but I havn't heard much after that though.

If I remember correctly, this type of glue was used quite a bit for infants undergoing operations. From what I understand the benefits were reduced scarring the ease of use, sutures required for infants are difficult due to the small size.

I always hear about people using duct tape as a way to close gashes and what not on construction sites, do to the glue that was on it.

DERMABOND adhesive is a medical glue for the skin that doctors can use in place of stitches or staples to close wounds and incisions. It is spread on top of the wound while your doctor holds the skin edges together. Only your doctor can apply DERMABOND adhesive. It dries to form a strong, flexible bond and protective covering for the cut. DERMABOND adhesive does not require a bandage, and you can get it wet in the course of normal activities. Showering or bathing is fine, although soaking is not advisable.


How it works


After your wound has been cleaned, your doctor will apply DERMABOND adhesive in thin layers (a minimum of two for High Viscosity DERMABOND adhesive) with a light brushing stroke, while holding the edges of the wound together. As DERMABOND adhesive is applied, it forms a strong, flexible bond in just 45-60 seconds, and reaches full strength in approximately 2½ minutes after the final layer is applied.

As your wound heals, DERMABOND adhesive wears off the skin, with complete skin healing usually occurring in 5-10 days. While a return visit to your doctor is not necessary for stitch removal, your doctor still may want to see you to check your healing progress.

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When can DERMABOND adhesive be used?

* If your wound is in an area where your skin is not stretched or pulled, it can be treated with DERMABOND adhesive
* It is generally not used in areas with hair or in the mouth
* It should be used with caution around the eyes
* Your wound should have even and straight edges - not jagged or torn

wow this sounds really interesting. i've never heard of it.i guess its only good for cuts which dont have tension onf them, as in they're not being pulled and are very relzexed. like ur back or something. i wonder why i've never even heard of it... and i wonder even more whysomething like this is not being used anymore. it might've had side-effects of somesort but who know... any more information of it would be cool.