Tissue adhesives and applications in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

The search for the perfect surgical "glue" is ongoing. Throughout the centuries, surgeons and scientists have sought an ideal sealant and adhesive: one that is safe, biologically compatible, effective, and affordable. A tissue sealant with these attributes would have unlimited applications in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Simple wound closure, sealing of cavities, attachment of graft and flaps, and decreasing of bleeding, bruising, and edema are problems that all aesthetic and reconstructive surgeons face every day in their practice.