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Mussel adhesive protein to be used for surgery?
January 10, 2013
An adhesive found in mussels may be used to seal wounds in the future
Mussels are well-known for their ability to stick to rocks and other underwater surfaces with their protein potentially useful as a surgery adhesive.
Research published in a recent issue of Biomaterials demonstrated how the chemical structure from the mussel's adhesive protein could be used to form a bioadhesive called iCMBASs.
Fibrin glues and cyanoacrylate adhesives can be useful for sealing wounds but they are less effective in wet conditions and can cause side-effects including toxicity.
However, the adhesive from the mussel protein looks promising as it is up to eight times stronger in wet conditions and seems to produce only mild inflammation as its side effect.
Associate professor at Penn State University Jian Yang explained the adhesive could be controlled to degrade after one week or remain for a month, depending on the circumstances.
He said: "There are so many applications that you can use this glue for to help in surgery."
It could prove a ground-breaking solution for people with major wounds or broken bones, with medical insurance on hand to help them get the best available treatment.
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