title: Cyanoacrylate adhesive technique in wound edge approximation.
abstract: Cyanoacrylate, the adhesive component of many commercially available strong-binding glues, has been used by the medical profession for various purposes, including tissue adhesion and repair, embolization, sclerotherapy, and hemostasis. Mortuary science professionals rely on cyanoacrylate's adhesive property to aid in body restoration techniques following embalming. Forensic applications include the use of cyanoacrylate fumes for latent fingerprint detection. An additional application for this sticky chemical is currently unrecognized by many within the forensic community. Specifically, cyanoacrylate's adhesive property makes possible the relatively simple, efficient, and rapid approximation of disrupted skin and tissue when warranted during a forensic autopsy. The final result is aesthetically pleasing and lends itself to subsequent photographic documentation especially when patterned injuries are encountered. We discuss the technique, benefits, and limitations of the cyanoacrylate adhesive method in this setting and present several cases wherein the technique has produced satisfying results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Prahlow
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lantz
mesh_terms: D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003487:Cyanoacrylates; D014014:Tissue Adhesives