Bioadhesives for clinical applications – a mini review

Abstract

Bioadhesives are highly biocompatible and biodegradable polymers, which are used to join two surfaces where at least one of them is a living tissue. Bioadhesives are used for various purposes, for example, as a replacement for surgical sutures and as a substitute for traditional drug dosage systems. Bioadhesives meet the functional requirements needed for practical use in minimally invasive surgery. Bioadhesives are derived from either synthetic or biological source and their performance largely depends on the bioadhesion bonding state of the biopolymers, which is achieved by their cross-linking properties, chain length, and presence of various functional groups. Due to its biocompatibility, it can get in close contact with the biological substrate or adhere to the biological surface. This review deals with the overview of bioadhesives, their history, and the mechanism of adhesion along with the applications of bioadhesives.