[13][8] It is also used for repairing dura mater tears and bronchial fistulas and for achieving hemostasis after spleen and liver trauma,[23] in "no sutures" corneal transplantation, pterygium excision with amniotic membrane or conjunctival autograft, and in eye trauma for corneal or conjunctival defects,[25][26][27] as well as for skin graft donor site wounds to reduce postoperative pain.

[29] The glue must not get into blood vessels, as this could lead to clotting in the form of thromboembolism or disseminated intravascular coagulation, or to anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction).

[30] Possible adverse effects include bleeding disorder and allergic reactions such as flushing, stinging, generalised urticaria, angioedema, bronchospasm, and anaphylaxis.

[30] Thrombin is an enzyme that splits fibrinogen into fibrin monomers in 10 to 60 seconds, which aggregate to form a three-dimensional gel-like structure.

[33][34] A formulation with human thrombin was approved for medical use in the United States in March 2003, and in the European Union in October 2008.