Scaffold-enhanced albumin and n-butyl-cyanoacrylate adhesives for tissue repair: ex vivo evaluation in a porcine model.

An ex vivo study was conducted in a porcine model to compare the tensile strength of tissue samples repaired by three different repair methods: (i) scaffold-enhanced light-activated albumin protein solder, (ii) scaffold-enhanced n-butyl-cyanoacrylate adhesive, and (iii) conventional sutures. Biodegradable polymer scaffolds of controlled porosity were fabricated with poly(L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and salt particles using a solvent-casting and particulate-leaching technique. Repairs were conducted on seventeen different tissues including the carotid, femoral, splenic, coronary, and pulmonary arteries, aorta, small intestine, ureter, sciatic nerve, spleen, atrium, kidney, muscle, skin, lung, liver and pancreas. Acute breaking strengths were measured and the data were analyzed by Student's T-test. The resultant repairs using the scaffold-enhanced light-activated adhesive (Group I) were found to yield equivalent tensile strengths to conventional sutures (Group III), with significantly smaller mean standard deviations (8% vs. 25%). The cyanoacrylate-doped scaffold (Group II) repairs performed extremely well with tensile strengths approximately 30% higher for organ tissue and approximately 20% higher for vascular tissue than with the other two repair techniques evaluated in this study. The addition of the polymer scaffold assists in tissue alignment and reduces problems associated with adhesive runaway from the repair site. With appropriate packaging, scaffold-enhanced adhesives offer the potential for quick application in the field by less skilled professionals, paraprofessionals and bystanders in emergency situations--both military and civilian--outside a hospital or clinic setting.