PURPOSE: Toreport our experience of the use of cyanoacrylate adhesive in 22 cases of corneal perforations and thinning, describing the used technique. METHODS: The study consisted of 22 eyes from 22 patients with corneal thinning and perforations from October 1998, to April 2000. All cases were treated with cyanoacrylate adhesive (Super Bonder® - Loctite, Brazil) at the Department of Ophthalmology of the "Santa Casa de São Paulo", Brazil. We evaluated best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after adhesive application, conditions that led to corneal thinning or perforation, measurement of thinning or perforation in millimeters, need for corneal patches or keratoplasty, number of applications, interval in which the adhesive was kept, and adverse reactions. RESULTS: BCVA remained unchanged in 15 (68%) cases. Regarding wound size, 63% were less than of a 2 mm diameter and the remaining had a diameter up to 3.2 mm. Infection was the most frequent (50%) indication for adhesive application. Twelve (54%) patients did not need surgical procedures to maintain ocular integrity (e.g. patch or keratoplasty). Eleven (50%) patients received only one application of cyanoacrylate. CONCLUSION: Application of cyanoacrylate as a tissue adhesive is a safe and easy method. It is very useful in maintaining ocular integrity after corneal perforations and thinning.
Cyanoacrylates; Tissue adhesives; Corneal transplantation; Cornea
