South Korean researchers have developed a surgical glue that is visible on common imaging exams such as fluoroscopy, ultrasound, and CT, according to a study published July 19 in Nature Communications.
Surgical glue has many possible applications, such as in embolization, angioplasty, stent insertion, and biopsy, according to a team led by Nohyun Lee, PhD, of Kookmin University. As surgery continues to be replaced when possible by minimally invasive and image-guided procedures, physicians are using tissue adhesives instead of sutures and surgical staples.
The glue consists of nanoparticles with a shell made of silica and a core of radiopaque tantalum oxide, and it is clearly visualized by real-time imaging modalities, according to the group. Its adhesive properties are similar to those of cyanoacrylate and Lipiodol, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved mixture of tissue adhesive and radiopaque oil used in clinical practice, the researchers said.
The glue is the first nanoparticle-based tissue adhesive visible on imaging, and it has been used successfully in sealing liver punctures and in surgery on moving organs such as lungs and limbs, Lee and colleagues wrote. In fact, a fluorescent version of the substance visible on CT was used to guide the resection of lung cancer in a rat.
