The repair of peripheral nerves requires tedious suturing under magnification which is time consuming. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits and functional outcome of repairing these nerves with a new octyl 2-cyanoacrylate adhesive (Dermabond®). 64 male, Lewis rats were randomized to one of three experimental groups: Group A (N=27), the right peroneal nerve was sectioned and repaired using only octyl 2-cyanoacrylate; Group B (N=27), the right peroneal nerve was repaired with 4, 10-0 nylon sutures; Group C (N=10), underwent a sham operation. The left side of each rat was used always as a control. The nerve function recovery was quantified through walking track analysis (peroneal function index: PFI) over five different times: before surgery, after 24 hours, 15 days, 3 and 6 months. Histologic evaluation of anastomosis was also performed at the 15 days, 3 and 6 months. Functional assessment through walking track analysis showed a much greater improvement of nerve function in the adhesive-treated group (A) than suture-treated group (B), especially at 15 days. 15% of the rats in group A, showed normal PFI value (0 to –27) vs. 0% in Group B by 15 days. Three months after surgery, all of the rats in group A reached normal PFI values vs. only 89% in group B. The histology report at 15 days and 3 months, showed a high level of inflammatory cells, especially macrophages, in Group A compared with Group B but also, the axonal regeneration was greater in the adhesive group than the suture group at 15 days and 3 months. No toxicity was seen in tissues treated with octyl 2-cyanoacrylate and granuloma formation occurred only in sutured tissues. In conclusion, octyl 2-cyanoacrylate is safe and easy to handle in nerve anastomosis; its strength is high enough to keep the nerve tissue together; the adhesive always remained on the superficial layer of the nerve, not penetrating the anastomosis line; use of adhesive shortened the anastomosis time to about 1/3 (4 vs. 12 min); no evidence of toxicity was found. The inflammatory response in group A did not hinder the axons, myelin and Schwann cells from proliferation. The recovery of nerve function was faster in the adhesive-treated group.