Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using N-butyl cyanoacrylate glue to fix small lung leaks in dogs
By Esposito, F et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2026·North Downs Specialist Referrals, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Intraoperative use of N-butyl cyanoacrylate for the management of pneumothorax secondary to small air leaks in pulmonary surgery.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eight dogs undergoing lung surgery for issues like lung lacerations or bullae had small air leaks managed with a special adhesive called N-butyl cyanoacrylate. This adhesive was applied during surgery to help seal the leaks, and all dogs were able to go home after an average of three days in the hospital. They had thoracostomy tubes (drainage tubes) in place for about a day, and there were no complications reported from using the adhesive. This method showed promise for effectively handling small air leaks during lung procedures.
People also search for: dog lung surgery recovery · dog air leak treatment · N-butyl cyanoacrylate for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical application and outcome associated with the intraoperative use of N-butyl cyanoacrylate for managing small air leaks following lung lobectomies, lung lacerations and pulmonary bullae in a cohort of eight dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical and surgical records of eight client-owned dogs were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the intraoperative use of topical N-butyl cyanoacrylate adhesive in pulmonary surgery. Data on intra- and postoperative complications, hospitalisation time, thoracostomy tube output, duration of thoracostomy tube placement and outcome were assessed. RESULTS: Eight dogs were included in the study, with a total of ten applications of N-butyl cyanoacrylate: seven applied directly to bullae (Dogs 1, 3 and 4) or parenchymal lacerations (Dogs 5-8) and two used to reinforce staple lines (Dogs 2 and 5). All dogs survived to discharge. The median duration of hospitalisation was 3 days, while thoracostomy tubes remained in situ for a median of 1 day. No complications associated with the use of adhesive were reported at the latest follow-up. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The intraoperative use of N-butyl cyanoacrylate adhesive provided effective management of small air leaks (<7 mm) across various clinical scenarios, either as an adjunctive or as a primary intervention. Further studies are needed to assess its long-term biocompatibility and refine application techniques.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41188057/