The use of Indermil (n-butyl cyanoacrylate) in otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery. A preliminary report on the first 33 patients.

The authors present their initial experience of a new sterile medical grade cyanoacrylate adhesive (Indermil) in otolaryngeal and head and neck surgery. Thirty-three patients who underwent a variety of head and neck operations consented to have their skin incisions closed using the adhesive and 10 of those also underwent repair of the tympanic membrane, either as part of tympanoplasty or mastoid surgery. The history of the use of this class of adhesive is presented with an explanation of the chemical properties of these compounds. Advantages of using cyanoacrylate adhesives and future possible applications in otolaryngology and head and neck surgery are discussed.