A look at the glues used in modern medicine

Lisa Salmon on the adhesives at the heart of medicine

ONCE only found in pencil cases, toolboxes, and cluttered kitchen drawers, modern glue has come a long way and its uses go way beyond sealing small wounds.

Every day, special variations of glue — often a type of acrylic resin called cyanoacrylate — are used to stick and seal in a wide variety of surgeries and treatments, ranging from open heart surgery to infertility.