Medical Grade Adhesives

Medical-grade adhesives are very similar to their non-medical grade counterparts. In fact, they can often be exactly the same with one exception: medical grade adhesives are manufactured and tested to a more stringent standard. Most medical grade adhesives get the name "Medical Grade" by adhering biocompatibility standards of USP Class VI or ISO 10993 standards with ISO 10993 being more common. 

Put simply, these products are testing during and after manufacturing to meet highly regulated quality standards. This isn't to say standard super glues wouldn't pass but when it comes to medical device manufacturing, certifications and tests like this help insure product quality. 

There's a lot of reasons to love super glues for medical device manufacturing. 

• Super glues are strong
• Super glues are safe and durable
• Super glues are easy to use and dispense

For biocompatibility testing, most suppliers have moved from the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Class VI standard to ISO-10993. The two standards specify slightly different tests and follow different test methods. For example, USP testing requires a physicochemical test not normally included in ISO testing. Moreover, establishing a USP Class VI rating has little bearing on whether the product will win approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Class VI rating merely states that the product exhibits a low level of toxicity under the test conditions. 

Medical Devices
Medical glues can be used in the assembly of a wide range of medical devices. They are useful for bonding or coating interior joints, as well as exterior surfaces. 

Some common uses of medical adhesives include the productions of many single-use items that are required in large quantities, such as catheters, respiratory and anesthesia masks, syringes, needles and cannulas. They are often used in lifesaving pieces of equipment, such as resuscitation tubes, respirators and blood filters. 

As well as devices that may only be used for short-term applications, many medical grade adhesives are also suitable for the creation of much longer-lived items, such as prosthetic joints. 

First Aid

First and foremost, if you have been injured, it is recommended that you seek proper meidcal attention. Many Emergency Departments and first responders have been using a medical grade super glue (skin adhesive) in place of stitches to close a wound. Here's why: 

• It is less painful
• There are no needle pokes
• It is a faster procedure
• Often, it does not require a follow-up visit, saving you another trip to the doctor
• It does not require sedation

Skin adhesive is an alterantive that can be as effective as stitches when used on the appropriate ound. Usually, that means a small wound; not very deep or wide; not "dirty" or prone to infection; and not on highly mobile parts, such as joints. If the cut meets these criteria, an option for treatment is to use skin adhesive in order to close the wound.