Photon activated biological adhesives in surgery

There are a wide variety of adhesives available for use in surgery, ranging from cyanoacrylates for skin closure to fibrin-based mixtures for use as l ung sealants. The development of light-activated tissue adhesives, commonly known as solders have been undermined by the uncertainty surrounding the e nd-point for irradiation. A number of methods have been used to define the correct exposure period, from back scatter of light from the tissue/adhesiv e interface through to thermal feedback systems. However these approaches h ave not been widely realised in a clinical environment. This paper describe s the development of a photochemical approach to light-activated tissue adh esives providing a bifunctional protection that has been shown to generate rapid and strong tissue bonding whilst eliminating the risk of over exposur e to damaging radiation using a molecular switch, which protects the underl ying tissue from thermal damage. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.