PURPOSE: To investigate the healing process of the aponeurosis of the anterior abdominal wall of rats, comparing two different materials for wound closure: 3-0 nylon suture and tissue adhesive N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate. METHODS: Forty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups according to the type of material used (suture or adhesive) and the number of days until reoperation (seven or 14 days). After a 4 cm incision in the aponeurosis, 22 rats underwent wound closure using 3-0 nylon suture and the other 22, the tissue adhesive. After seven days, 11 rats from each group were weighed again, submitted to reoperation and then euthanized. The same procedure was carried out after 14 days with the remaining rats. The surgical wound was macroscopically examined, the tensile strength was measured and the tissue edges were histologically examined. The statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance and Cox's proportional hazards model. Significance level was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The animals lost on average 20 g over the period between the two operations. Wound closure was faster using the tissue adhesive. Only one animal, from the tissue adhesive group, had a small abscess with wound dehiscence. With regard to tensile strength, the best results were obtained with the tissue adhesive 14 days after the first surgery. The results of the histological examination showed no significant difference between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Upon morphological evaluation, the two types of material analyzed in this study (3-0 nylon suture and N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate, a tissue adhesive) were not significantly different with regard to the healing process of the aponeurosis of the anterior abdominal wall of rats. Wound closure using the tissue adhesive was faster. Higher tensile strength was observed in the tissue adhesive group 14 days after the first surgery.