Tubal anastomosis in the rat using the tissue adhesive cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl).

n-Butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl) is said to be as effective as microsurgery for tubal anastomosis. In a prospective controlled study at the regional teaching hospital research laboratories, 40 female laboratory rats underwent laparotomy, with ligation of the uterine horns, and reanastomosis by microsurgery or cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive. Main outcome measures were patency of uterine horns following anastomosis, histologic examination of anastomotic sites and pregnancy rate following anastomosis by each of the two methods. Patency rates were 100% with both methods of anastomosis, although foreign-body granulomas were more prominent in horns anastomosed by microsurgery. When cyanoacrylate was used on one horn and the contralateral horn ligated, a 90% pregnancy rate was achieved; when microsurgery was used, the pregnancy rate was 80%. In microsurgically anastomosed tubes there was a longer narrow segment, resulting in a lower number of embryos per rat. Cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive is successful in tubal reanastomosis and has certain advantages over classical microsurgical techniques: fewer foreign-body granulomas occur; there is less narrowing of the uterine horn; less skill is required in its use.