These eight volumes, which developed out of the international con­ gress "Update and Future Trends in Fibrin Sealing in Surgical and Nonsurgical Fields" held in November 1992, attempt to present the state of the art concerning fibrin sealing. Initially fibrin sealant played an important role in surgery. During the past few years, however, it has been increasingly used in nonsurgical applications, and we can now say that it has become a component of medicine in general. The doubts about the efficacy of fibrin sealant, which had been raised by nonusers, are no longer valid. The correct indication and method­ ology continue to be basic prerequisites, and even today - after 20 years of fibrin sealant renaissance - the three most prominent effects of fibrin sealant still retain their validity: hemostasis, sealing and sup­ port of wound healing. The problems posed by the transmission of viral infections have gained substantially in importance because of the potential transmission of AIDS via fibrin sealant. Fortunately the transmission of AIDS via fi­ brin sealant is today so unlikely that it no longer poses a cause for con­ cern. This does not mean, however, that research in this field can be discontinued.