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Short answer: “Surgical glue” is not one product name. Its regulatory name is tissue adhesive; the FDA product code for the skin-closure type is MPN, “Tissue adhesive for the topical approximation of skin.” Brand names such as Dermabond, Exofin, Histoacryl, SurgiSeal and LiquiBand all appear in FDA’s 510(k) database under that same code, while mesh-and-adhesive systems such as Dermabond Prineo sit under a different code, OMD. This page is general product information, not medical advice.
Who searches this: a clinic, lab or supply buyer, or a curious reader, who has a brand name or a vague phrase like “medical glue for cuts” and needs to know what the device actually is and what to check on a listing. All facts below come from the FDA records and the Code of Federal Regulations cited at the end, checked on 2026-11-01.
What is surgical glue called?
The same device type goes by several names depending on who is speaking:
- Tissue adhesive for the topical approximation of skin is the name FDA uses in 21 CFR 878.4010(a) and for product code MPN.
- Topical skin adhesive is the wording in many 510(k) device names, for example “SURGISEAL Topical Skin Adhesive” and “Exofin High Viscosity Topical Skin Adhesive.”
- Skin-approximation adhesive is the GMDN term (code 34164) shown in the FDA AccessGUDID record for a Dermabond model.
- Cyanoacrylate names a chemical family. The same Dermabond record describes the product as “High Viscosity Topical Skin Adhesive, 2-Octyl Cyanoacrylate.”
“Surgical glue,” “skin glue,” “wound glue” and “medical glue” are everyday phrases for this device type rather than regulatory terms.
How FDA defines it
Under 21 CFR 878.4010(a), a tissue adhesive for the topical approximation of skin is “a device intended for topical closure of surgical incisions, including laparoscopic incisions, and simple traumatic lacerations that have easily approximated skin edges,” and it “may be used in conjunction with, but not in place of, deep dermal stitches.” It is Class II (special controls).
Topical versus internal tissue adhesives
Not every tissue adhesive is a skin glue. Section 878.4010(b) covers a “tissue adhesive for non-topical use,” described as a device “used for adhesion of internal tissues and vessels,” including adhesives intended for embolization of brain arteriovenous malformation or for ophthalmic surgery. That group is Class III (premarket approval). FDA’s classification database lists the internal-use codes PJK and PLJ under this regulation. A search for “surgical glue” therefore mixes two regulatory classes, and a skin adhesive is not interchangeable with an internal one.
Brand names and the device behind them
The table lists only what the FDA 510(k) database shows for each name (openFDA, checked 2026-11-01). It lists the applicant of record in the cited clearance, which can change over a product’s life.
| Brand name in the record | Applicant (cited record) | Product code | Example 510(k) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DERMABOND Advanced / DERMABOND Mini | Ethicon, Inc. | MPN | K152096 (2015) |
| Exofin High Viscosity Topical Skin Adhesive | Chemence Medical, Inc. | MPN | K200264 (2020) |
| Aesculap Histoacryl, Histoacryl Blue, Histoacryl Flexible | Aesculap, Inc. | MPN | K140343 (2014) |
| SURGISEAL Topical Skin Adhesive | Adhezion Biomedical, LLC | MPN | K161011 (2016) |
| LiquiBand Plus | Advanced Medical Solutions Limited | MPN | K183570 (2020) |
| DERMABOND PRINEO Skin Closure System | Ethicon, Inc. | OMD | K152490 (2015) |
| Exofin Fusion Skin Closure System | Chemence Medical, Inc. | OMD | K191461 (2020) |
Why Prineo and Fusion have a different code
Product code OMD is “Cutaneous Tissue Adhesive With Mesh,” regulated under 21 CFR 878.4011 and also Class II. That regulation describes a tissue adhesive with an adjunct wound closure device, where the adjunct “maintains temporary skin edge alignment along the length of wound during application of the liquid adhesive.” Names that look alike therefore describe different device types. Product-level detail is in the CASRAI guides on Dermabond Prineo and Exofin tissue adhesive.
Where to buy medical glue, and what to check on a listing
The FDA records name the device type, the maker and the regulatory class. They do not name a retailer, and this page does not recommend one. For a listing sold as “medical glue for cuts” or “topical skin adhesive for wound closure,” these are the fields worth matching against FDA’s own databases:
- Maker and brand name. Search the brand in the FDA 510(k) database or AccessGUDID and confirm the maker matches the listing.
- Product code and regulation number. A skin adhesive should show MPN (21 CFR 878.4010) or, for a mesh system, OMD (21 CFR 878.4011). An internal-use code such as PJK or PLJ is a different, Class III device.
- Sterile and single-use flags. AccessGUDID records these. The Dermabond model record (catalog number DHVM12) shows “Sterile: Yes” and “Single-Use: Yes.”
- Prescription status. AccessGUDID has Rx and OTC fields. That same Dermabond model record shows “Prescription Use (Rx): Yes” and “Over the Counter (OTC): No.” Status is set per record, so read the record for the exact model on the listing instead of assuming it from another brand.
- Labeling. The manufacturer’s instructions for use define the indications for that product.
Common misunderstandings
- One name does not mean one device. Dermabond appears under both MPN (adhesive alone) and OMD (Prineo, adhesive with mesh).
- Glue does not replace everything. The CFR text says a topical skin adhesive may be used with, but not in place of, deep dermal stitches. See what a suture is for the other closure type.
- Look-alike products are separate listings. Skin-prep adhesives such as Mastisol and the liquid dressings in how liquid bandage works have their own pages and FDA records, so check the product code before treating them as skin-closure adhesives.
Related closure products
Adhesive strips are a different device type from liquid adhesives; see 3M Steri-Strip, butterfly closures and Clozex skin closure.
FAQ
What is surgical glue called?
FDA calls the skin-closure type a “tissue adhesive for the topical approximation of skin” (product code MPN, 21 CFR 878.4010(a), Class II). Common alternatives are topical skin adhesive and, by chemistry, cyanoacrylate.
Where to buy medical glue?
FDA records do not list sellers. Match the listing’s maker, product code, regulation number, sterile and single-use flags and prescription status against the FDA 510(k) and AccessGUDID records for that exact product, as in the checklist above.
Where to buy medical glue for cuts?
The same checks apply. The AccessGUDID record for one Dermabond model lists it as prescription use, not over the counter, so a listing for “medical glue for cuts” should be matched to the specific product’s record rather than assumed to be sold without a prescription. For individual wound care, ask a clinician or pharmacist.
Sources
- 21 CFR 878.4010, Tissue adhesive: law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/878.4010 (checked 2026-11-01).
- 21 CFR 878.4011, Tissue adhesive with adjunct wound closure device: law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/878.4011 (checked 2026-11-01).
- FDA AccessGUDID, DERMABOND (catalog DHVM12): accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/devices/10705031203525 (checked 2026-11-01).
- FDA 510(k) database, K152490 DERMABOND PRINEO: accessdata.fda.gov, K152490 (checked 2026-11-01).
- openFDA device 510(k) and classification endpoints, for the brand, applicant, product-code and class entries in the table (queried 2026-11-01): open.fda.gov/apis/device/510k.
