Super glue, crazy glue, etc.

[Jens]

What do you like for finger pad treatments on multi day rock trips? Super glue seems slightly slicker to me than crazy glue. I've heard everything from they are both fine to they are super toxic. Anyone in the know? I've used both for quite a while.

[scheissami]

This is from Poisindex, a database used by toxicologists:

 

POISINDEX® Managements

 

 

CYANOACRYLATES-SUPER GLUE

 

0.2 CLINICAL EFFECTS

0.2.1 SUMMARY OF EXPOSURE

 

A) Cyanoacrylates produce rapid adhesion to adjacent surfaces when exposed to air. The solidification reaction gives off heat and sensitive tissues may be burned. EXPOSURE IS UNLIKELY TO CAUSE TOXICITY OTHER THAN ADHESION OF MUCOUS MEMBRANES, SKIN, EYELIDS, ETC.

 

0.2.4 HEENT

 

A) OCULAR EXPOSURE - Eye exposure rapidly seals eyelids together. Corneal abrasions, loss of lashes, eyelid skin excoriation, or conjunctival inflammation may occur.

B) ORAL EXPOSURE - Cyanoacrylates polymerize so rapidly that little, if any, of the monomer will pass beyond the oropharynx without polymerization, making pharyngeal or esophageal adhesions unlikely. Polymerized materials adhere to the mouth and tongue producing a greyish-white plaque that may be left alone to wear off.

 

0.2.6 RESPIRATORY

 

A) Heating cyanoacrylate glues increases their volatility creating increased respiratory and eye irritation. Cyanide is NOT released.

B) Occupational asthma and allergic rhinitis may occur after inhalational exposure.

 

0.2.14 DERMATOLOGIC

 

A) Minimal skin irritation may be noted. Most irritation occurs where bonded surfaces are pulled apart mechanically.

B) Contact dermatitis may occur after chronic dermal exposure.

 

0.4 TREATMENT OVERVIEW

0.4.2 ORAL/PARENTERAL EXPOSURE

 

A) Pharyngeal or esophageal adhesions are unlikely since the monomer rapidly polymerizes in the mouth. Mouth, tongue, and oral mucous membrane adhesions are best managed without mechanical manipulation. These may be left alone to wear off or the process may be hastened by gentle abrasion with a toothbrush. DO NOT APPLY SOLVENTS TO THE OROPHARYNX.

 

0.4.4 EYE EXPOSURE

 

A) DECONTAMINATION: Irrigate exposed eyes with copious amounts of room temperature water for at least 15 minutes. If irritation, pain, swelling, lacrimation, or photophobia persist, the patient should be seen in a health care facility.

B) Usually simple protection with a dry gauze patch will suffice, with spontaneous resolution occurring in 1-4 days. Gauze soaked in mineral oil, ophthalmic antibiotic ointments, and tap water may speed this process. Solvents may be used as a LAST RESORT ONLY. Occasionally surgical separation is required. Do not use acetone or alcohol in or near the eye.

 

0.4.5 DERMAL EXPOSURE

 

A) OVERVIEW

 

1) ACETONES - Application of acetone, prolonged soaking in warm water and/or ethanol water mixtures may result in sufficient softening of the bond to separate tissue surfaces. This may take several hours to accomplish. CAUTION: Do not burn skin with hot water and do not use acetone or alcohol on or near the eyes.

2) MINERAL OIL, vegetable oil, or vaseline jelly aids in the removal of cyanoacrylates from tender dermal areas and about the eyes.

3) SURGICAL INTERVENTION - Generally not required. The affected tissue surfaces usually separate of their own accord over a few days.

 

0.5 RANGE OF TOXICITY

A) One drop on a tissue surface may cause rapid adhesion. Ingestion does not produce toxicity other than adhesion.

 

1.1 THERAPEUTIC/TOXIC CLASS

A) Commercial grade products, marketed as "super glues", usually contain methyl or ethyl monomers, plus plasticizers and thickening agents, and acidic stabilizers (Mickey & Samson, 1981).

B) Cyanoacrylate monomers have been used in neurosurgery, opthalmology, and ear surgery (Mickey & Samson, 1981; Carlson & Wilhelmus, 1987; Chen & Harner, 1986).

C) The butyl monomers have been used medically because polymerization times, rate of degradation and histotoxicity tend to decrease as the length of the side chain increases (Mickey & Samson, 1981).

D) However, a study in chinchillas found that butyl 2-cyanoacrylate was moderately to severly toxic to the middle ear (Chen & Harner, 1986).

 

 

 

1.2 SPECIFIC SUBSTANCES

A) CONSTITUENTS OF THE GROUP

 

1) Methyl 2-cyanoacrylate

2) Ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate

3) n-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate

4) Isobutyl 2-cyanoacrylate

5) Alkyl cyanoacrylate

 

 

 

1.6 AVAILABLE FORMS/SOURCES

A) USES

 

1) Found in many so called "Super Glue" glues available in small tubes, usually 1 to 3 grams under a wide variety of trade names: Methyl-2-Cyano-Acrylate monomer, Eastman 910, Super Glue, Ethyl-2-Cyano-Acrylate, Super Bonder, etc.

2) Alkyl cyanoacrylate is the principal constituent of an adhesive compound called "Aron Alpha" (Nakazawa, 1990). Alkyl cyanoacrylates are less volatile and possess longer chains than methyl-, butyl-, and ethyl-type cyanoacrylates.

3) Butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl) and isobutyl-2-cyanoacrylate are used as a tissue glue (Kamer & Joseph, 1989; Berenstein & Hieshima, 1987). This use of cyanoacrylate adhesives is not approved by the FDA.

 

 

Both are very similar compounds. Significant toxicity is rare: essentially all side-effects are through topical exposure, which can be minimized with care. Try to avoid getting any of the glue on the actual wound itself; rather, hold the flap in place and glue over the top of the line formed by the two wound edges.

 

 

Hope this helps!

[max]

Was Super Glue invented to seal battle wounds in Vietnam?

[rob]

My daughter took a header into the wall a few months ago at home and split her forehead open. Docs at the ER used dermabond, which is basically like a "medical-grade" super-glue. Doc said that most regular super glues have methyl alcohol in them, which can burn tissue. Medical grade glues are more expensive, but do not damage tissue and I guess are supposed to break down harmlessly.

 

They are very expensive though, so I just use super-glue to close flappers.

 

Echoing scheissami, I would not put it IN the wound, but would use it just to seal the flap (assuming it didn't rip off).

 

 

[Jens]

Thanks guys, just the info I was looking for.

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Glue got me through the sharp pockets and edges on Latest Rage yesterday.

[layton]

Band-aid brand makes an over the counter version you should check out.

My problem is that I put a tube in my chalk bag, and by the time I need it, it's already ruined.

[ambys]

You should check out the legality wherever you reside, but you can usually find Durabond and similar things on eBay. As noted above, it's fairly expensive--I think the going rate is $40 for 12 0.5mL vats. Here's a link, for example http://cgi.ebay.com/ONE-BOX-OF-12-DERMABOND-TOPICAL-SKIN-ADHESIVES-L-K_W0QQitemZ220101722109QQihZ012QQcategoryZ31477QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem.

 

If you find yourself using it a lot, it might be worth the investment. Personally, I just use superglue, and has been noted at least twice, I work hard to keep it outside the wound... skin-to-skin only.