Over the years, chemists have discovered how to make glues that stick to practically every material known to humans.
Nowadays, that includes almost every tissue in the human body.
One of the latest adhesives for use in the body is TissuGlu, which aims to eliminate the need for fluid drains after reconstructive surgeries, such as tummy tucks or mastectomies.
The glue, a non-toxic version of urethane, the same versatile polymer used to make solvents and plastics, is applied as a liquid with a special glue gun. The adhesive "cures" when exposed to moisture in the body, forming a stretchy seal that eventually biodegrades.
Developed by the Cohera Medical, it was first approved in Europe in 2011. The US company is hoping it will be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2014.
Another novel adhesive, developed by Paris-based Gecko Biomedical, is hoped to vastly improve the ability of surgeons to repair congenital holes in the hearts of newborns.
"Now we have an adhesive that can be placed in the most challenging environment in the body - the beating heart," biomedical engineer and Gecko Biomedical co-founder Jeffrey Karp said.
The glue has so far been successfully tested in animals.
Gluing or caulking skin, blood vessels, eyes, bones, and other organs may sound like science fiction, but it has become as standard as stitches and staples. Analysts valued the global market for tissue adhesives and sealants at $US3.1 billion ($A3.42 billion) in 2012.
Driven by pressures to speed up the recovery times of patients and make surgeries less invasive, experts say that figure is set to grow.
The first medical adhesive, Dermabond, was approved in the United States under modern device regulation in 1998. (Many more have been approved in Europe, where the regulatory bar is lower.)
University of Pennsylvania emergency medicine physician Judd Hollander helped lead the clinical studies that proved Dermabond can safely handle uncomplicated cuts.
"If a kid has a simple laceration where the edges of the skin come together, it's mean to use sutures," Hollander said.
Sutures - thread or wire sewn into the flesh - can withstand stretching and twisting, however involve anesthesia, needle punctures, and a high risk of infection. Applying them, especially in inaccessible areas of the body, takes skill, and they may not be adequate in blood vessels or organs that leak blood or air.
Sticky stuff can overcome these drawbacks.
Cyanoacrylate, the material used in Dermabond, generally can't be used inside the body because it sets off inflammation, but it's so safe on the skin that it is sold as over-the-counter "liquid bandages".
