Formaldehyde-free collagen glue in experimental lung gluing.

Because of the well-known limitations of the adhesive strength of fibrin glue, it is imperative to develop a stronger glue with acceptable biocompatibility. This was accomplished by removing the formaldehyde component from gelatin-resorcinol-formaldehyde glue and replacing it by two less toxic aldehydes--pentanedial and ethanedial. To evaluate the adhesive strength of this new glue, GR-DIAL, lung incisions in rabbit hybrids were glued together. Each group (n = 5) was examined histologically after 2 days and 1, 2, and 4 weeks. The glue disintegrated gradually with good bioresorption when the incision was closed with a thin layer of glue. The healing process was favorable, indicating good biocompatibility. Therefore, GR-DIAL glue is capable of enhancing the use of surgical glues in the field of thoracic surgery by enabling surgeons to close larger parenchymal lesions than with fibrin glue.