Gluing a cut with super glue, CA, cyanoacrylate

Nathan the Machinist

Nathan the Machinist

KnifeMaker / Machinist / Evil Genius
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I've been meaning to post this for a while. The purpose of this thread is to describe how to use super glue to close a wound. We play with sharp knives, this comes up from time to time. Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Serious wounds need medical attention. If you fail to clean your wound properly before gluing it up, you can seal in an infection requiring antibiotics and possibly having to reopen it.

Advantages of using superglue include sealing the wound against crud, speeding healing, and areas such as fingers and knuckles benefit from the strong bond where stitches pull out and scar.

I opened up the knuckle on my left hand index finger, cutting into the bone and also opening up the joint a tiny bit. Due to the location on the back and side of my finger it did not continue to bleed badly. The cut wasn't so serious that it would require surgery to reattach anything. I was at home alone so nobody could drive me to the ER. The location of the wound made stitches unappealing. I had recently read up on the use of super glue on wounds and this one was a good fit for it.

Before I go any farther let me say loud and clear, don't dump super glue into your wound. That isn't the way to do it.

Clean the wound thoroughly. I used soap and water and a nylon bristle brush and scrubbed it out under the sink. I used alcohol, opened the wound and worked the alcohol in, pouring about half the bottle in the process. (Man up, go to your happy place, etc). Once the wound is clean the bad part is over. I don't recommend skimping on this part.

Wait until the wound stops bleeding. This might take some time, be patient. Visine ("gets the red out") can help, but really it just takes time. Drink a beer or something.

Close the wound and align the two sides. Any mismatch will stay that way forever (ask me how I know). Apply a bead of super glue over the wound and wait for it to set. Moisture is what sets super glue off, so after a few minutes you can run it under running water to help it finish. The wound is now closed for the next three days (the time required for the super glue to slosh off). Do not put the super glue into the wound. Non medical grade superglue released formaldehyde as it decomposes. This is harmless unless it is up inside your wound, where it will slow healing. Be very careful not the reopen the wound, the patch is very weak at this point.

Cut out a patch of fabric baidaid. Use only the sticky part, don't use the bit with the white gauze. Apply more super glue on and around the wound and glue the bandaid patch down over the wound. Give it some time to setup and finish it by running it under some water. This fabric patch is the key to success.

The patch will hold the wound together from the outside. A deep wound can still separate down inside, so it should be immobilized for a few days. My wound on my knuckle required a simple splint to keep it still for a couple days while it healed. I used a paint stir and electrical tape for a couple days.

I applied a fresh patch a few times, keeping the wound patched for about a week. At that point all that could been seen was a pink line that has since disappeared. I had nicked some connective tissue around the joint when I cut it, so I wasn't able to use the finger for much for a couple weeks while that healed, so the wound looked healed before it was. It took about a month to not ache when I'd pick up a mill vice or something.


Notes:
The idea is to replace stitches. You're forming a patch over the wound with a piece of fabric baidaid tape that will hold it together like stitches.
The patch will fall off on its own in a few days. A deep wound will need a new patch at that time.
The glue must be applied to dry skin, otherwise it will just set off without gluing anything.
Non medical grade super glue should not be used inside a deep wound, put it on top only.
 
Super glue is a great way to seal small cuts, I've used it many times on myself and on my patients. It is even becoming common for surgeons to use it on top of stitches in place of bandages. The only thing I would add, is to warn people to have a low threshold for seeking medical attention if a glued cut starts to get red, warm, or swollen after a few days, especially if the cut was into the bone like Nathan's. Bone infections can be very serious and difficult to treat.
 
i also use superglue as it is amazing. this is a very good and detaled post. this topic pops up every now and again with people on both sides of the debate. i think what most people think about when you say superglue is to open the wound and put the super glue inside and then close it. Like you said thats bad. you just use it to hold it togather. some times i use paper to hold it closed. put some glue on the skin and then lay a small squar of paper over it and let it dry.
 
Thanks Nathan.

Since we're discussing AMA-approved first-aid methods, I thought I might mention that cayenne powder will stop bleeding when sprinkled directly into the wound.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), a common weed, will also stop bleeding when the fresh leaf is crushed and put into/onto a wound. Named after Achilles because it was the battle-field herb of choice for Greeks and Romans.

I have a 'wound-powder' that is composed of cayenne, yarrow, and other dried, powdered herbs. I treat it like powdered neosporin. Worked great when I chain-sawed my knee open.
 
Great post Nathan!

My uncle Pat is an orthopedic surgeon, and we have discussed this at length. *edited to add* Pat worked on soldiers in Vietnam that were brought in by Medivac.

He told me super-glue was used a lot in Vietnam as it was a fast and simple way to stop bleeding and to hold guys together in the field.

I asked him about the non-toxic medical grade stuff (2-octyl cyanoacrylate) and he said that so long as it was a fairly small cut and a small amount of the "hardware store" stuff is used, it should be fine.

I think cut size is somewhat relative, I remember in the mid 80's Pat was called in to work during Thanksgiving dinner because some drunk guy backing out of his driveway got his arm caught on those pegs the PUD guys climb up the pole with... and ripped his arm right off at the shoulder. Pat had to go "sew it back on." THAT qualified as a bad cut to him. ;) :) Super glue would NOT work for THAT. :)



Here is a really interesting article on the issue. It lines up pretty well with Pat using sg in Vietnam in 1968+.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns...lue-invented-to-seal-battle-wounds-in-vietnam
 
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Nathan the Machinist said:
...

Before I go any farther let me say loud and clear, don't dump super glue into your wound. That isn't the way to do it.

...
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Good post, Nathan.

I'm glad you mentioned the quoted detail. The last time there was a thread on this subject, someone mentioned having done exactly that and I didn't bother to correct them on it. My silence on the matter has bugged me ever since.

Thanks.
 
markksr said:
Good post, Nathan.

I'm glad you mentioned the quoted detail. The last time there was a thread on this subject, someone mentioned having done exactly that and I didn't bother to correct them on it. My silence on the matter has bugged me ever since.

Thanks.
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You can dump it directly into a wound and it will glue the wound together. But then there are other issues. The article Nick linked to is one I read when I was researching this subject. In it, they say that during the Vietnam war CA was used in emergencies in deep wounds. And this predates a medical grade. They also state the FDA did not condone this use, but the military was being pragmatic about the situation. As I already stated, it releases toxins when used this way. But when you're bleeding to death you don't care. That situation (hopefully) doesn't apply to us and for our uses you do not want that in your body (though it is harmless on your body). You will heal better if used the way I describe.
 
You'll find that the military doesn't care about FDA approval, good or bad. I was taught to use CA as a field expedient suture as a medic, lot easier to carry CA and a bottle of kicker than to carry a bunch of suture kits.
 
Is the liquid band aid the medical grade stuff? I have use it and it did work. The fabric cover would hold things together much longer though.
 
Now if you want to go real old school, By blacksmithing teacher told me a story about one of his instructors who used cob webs to stop serious bleeding. I think i would prefer the CA.
 
A C Richards said:
Now if you want to go real old school, By blacksmithing teacher told me a story about one of his instructors who used cob webs to stop serious bleeding. I think i would prefer the CA.
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Watch Rambo, he knows how to fix wounds:rolleyes::D:D:D

Or you could just jump up and down like I do clutching the wounded appendage muttering something that should never be repeated in company while painting the floor red.
 
I have reservations about using cyano-acrylates but appreciate that they can be useful - especially for deep wound trauma's or where stitching can lead to other complications. But if you misalign with the CA you're gonna be "stuck" with it (I can hear the groans already)

I'm not real keen on having a tube of superglue in my back pocket and carry a sterile pack of "steri-strips" in my wallet. These weigh almost nothing and take up no more room than a bandaid. They will close up a wound but can be easily removed if the wound needs further cleaning or treatment
 
antonio_luiz said:
What's wrong with mould? What do you think penicillin is?
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Last I heard the black mold is bad and can cause neurological problems (if it is staccibotrous(SP) or something like that ) as well as respiratory issues.

Not sure how it tastes however? :D:D

I heard certain types of tree lychon (SP) was used back in the day as bandages. I never had the need to try it. I prefer to just use rubbing alcohol to clean my wounds and then if they are bad enough I'll let my medics practice on me (I've kept them busy quit a bit).
 
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