An adhesive surface comprises at least a nanoparticle coating, a metallic coating, or a fiber with a micro/nano patterned topology. The adhesive surface is adhesive to tissue in a living body. The nanoparticle coating may be metallic. In some embodiments, the adhesive surface constitutes one or more elements of a bandage or surgical mesh, is a surface of a suture, or is sized, shaped, and configured for surgical application in a body. The surface or fiber may further comprise or be encased in a dissolvable coating, such as a polysaccharide, oligosaccharide, or sucrose. The fiber may have a surface that is patterned in topological relief, such as ridges in various orientations, cylindrical protrusions substantially normal the fiber surface, undulations of the fiber surface, or random asperities of the fiber surface. The patterning may be less than 700 nm or greater than 10 microns.
