Key points for selecting medical pressure-sensitive adhesive tape

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With the advancement of technology and the emergence of new medical materials, there is an increasing variety of adhesives used in medicine, with more and more different types and specifications available. These adhesives are widely utilized in various medical procedures, such as adhesive tapes for use during surgeries and on wounds, hemostatic tapes, and tapes that aid in wound healing. The use of such adhesives improves efficiency in medical treatment and facilitates work for both medical professionals and patients. The medical functions and performance of these adhesives are closely related to each other; therefore, knowing how to design and select adhesives with appropriate functions and excellent performance has become an essential skill for those working in the medical field. Pressure-sensitive adhesives are a type of adhesive that reacts to pressure. Medical pressure-sensitive tapes are made by applying such adhesives to films, non-woven materials, or foam during the production process; once dried, they can be used on patients’ wounds or affected areas to aid in healing and fixation. Therefore, these tapes must have strong adhesive properties, allowing them to stick together when pressed with a finger. When selecting pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, the following points should be taken into consideration: (1) Safety. Pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is composed of a substrate, an adhesive layer, release paper, a unrolling agent, and other components. First of all, the materials used to make such tape must be hygienic and environmentally friendly, and must not cause allergies in patients. Factors such as whether tearing the tape causes pain, whether residue remains after removal, its flexibility and elasticity, and whether it causes discomfort when applied, all need to be considered with regard to the patient’s well-being. Secondly, the tape must have good peeling properties, must not stick to body hair, and must not damage the patient’s skin. In addition, medical tapes made from pressure-sensitive adhesives require separate biological evaluations; their biocompatibility must meet specified standards, and strict tests for biological virulence must also be conducted, with relevant certification and test reports available. When conducting a risk assessment on medical adhesives that are in frequent contact with the human body, simulated human skin irritation and sensitization tests are typically carried out to evaluate the biocompatibility of these materials. In addition, medical pressure-sensitive adhesives are required to have higher levels of process stability and traceability compared to non-medical pressure-sensitive adhesives; for their key process parameters, it is necessary that they meet corresponding standards, and scientific and accurate usage parameters must be obtained through product sampling inspections to verify their compliance. (2) Functionality The functionality of medical pressure-sensitive tape is mainly reflected in 3 aspects. First, whether the viscosity of the material is sufficient. When medical pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is used for bonding, can it meet medical requirements? Second, whether the stickiness to the skin is appropriate. When medical pressure-sensitive adhesives are used to bond parts of the human body, it is not necessary for their adhesive strength to be infinitely high; rather, the suitability of the adhesive’s strength is often assessed by testing the peeling strength of the tape on the skin. Third, whether it can adapt to the corresponding sterilization method. Different sterilization methods have varying effects on product performance; it is important to consider whether the sterilization method used for medical adhesive tapes is suitable for medical use when purchasing such products. (3) Comfort: It is necessary to provide patients with a good physiological and psychological experience, and there are specialized, quantifiable and measurable indicators for assessing this.