Tissue Adhesives in Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery—Application of Silk Fibroin-Based Biomaterials
Ralf Smeets, Nathalie Tauer, Tobias Vollkommer, Martin Gosau, Anders Henningsen, Philip Hartjen, Leonie Früh, Thomas Beikler, Ewa Klara Stürmer, Rico Rutkowski, Audrey Laure Céline Grust, Sandra Fuest, Robert Gaudin, Farzaneh Aavani
Abstract
Tissue adhesives have been successfully used in various kind of surgeries such as oral and maxillofacial surgery for some time. They serve as a substitute for suturing of tissues and shorten treatment time. Besides synthetic-based adhesives, a number of biological-based formulations are finding their way into research and clinical application. In natural adhesives, proteins play a crucial role, mediating adhesion and cohesion at the same time. Silk fibroin, as a natural biomaterial, represents an interesting alternative to conventional medical adhesives. Here, the most commonly used bioadhesives as well as the potential of silk fibroin as natural adhesives will be discussed.