TissuGlu Surgical Adhesive (TissuGlu) is a urethane-based, liquid surgical adhesive which is activated upon contact with tissue fluid. TissuGlu is applied by a hand-held applicator containing the adhesive.
How does it work? The surgeon applies TissuGlu between layers of tissue to glue them together during a “tummy tuck” (abdominoplasty) procedure. Water in the patient’s tissue starts a chemical reaction that bonds the layers of tissue together, like glue. The surgeon then continues standard closure of the skin using sutures.
When is it used? TissuGlu is used to hold together layers of tissue during an abdominoplasty procedure. Patients with loose or sagging tissues may undergo this type of surgery.
What will it accomplish? TissuGlu helps bond the layers of tissue together in an abdominoplasty procedure and may reduce or eliminate a patient’s need for post-operative surgical drains, which are used to remove fluid between the tissue layers. In non-weight loss patients with a Body Mass Index of less than 28, use of TissuGlu may eliminate the need for surgical drains, leading to fewer post-operative treatments for fluid management. Patients without surgical drains may be able to return to normal activities more quickly after surgery and may reduce post-operative discomfort and pain associated with surgical drain use.
In the clinical trial, 48 out of the 66 (73%) TissuGlu-treated patients did not have any post-operative fluid-related treatments. Of the 18 patients (27%) who required treatments to remove excess fluid, 14 patients (21%) were treated with needle aspirations. Four patients (6%) in the TissuGlu group were treated with both needle aspirations and surgical drains for persistent build-up of fluid in the tissue. All control patients received a standard surgical procedure with placement of drains, and therefore were counted as receiving a post-operative treatment to remove fluid. Given that 73% of the TissuGlu patients did not require post-operative fluid-related treatment, the TissuGlu product was considered effective.
When should it not be used? TissuGlu should not be used in:
Patients with known or suspected allergies to urethane-based or isocyanate-containing products.
Patients that are under 22 years of age. Use in pediatric patients has not been studied.
