Comparison of silk sutures and n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate on the healing of skin wounds. A pilot study.

The synthetic tissue adhesive n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl Blue) and silk sutures were compared on the backs of guinea-pigs as the means for closing skin incisions. On the post-operative 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days, specimens from each group were obtained and evaluated under light microscopy. Sections were analysed for the degree of inflammation, giant cell reaction, fibroblastic and capillary cell activity and were ranked statistically. The results showed that the silk sutures caused severe inflammatory and giant cell reaction when compared with Histoacryl and the healing process was slower than with n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate.