Keep biomedical sensors firmly in place and reduce errors with medical securement tapes
applications, 3M Medical Materials manufactures a variety of different medical securement tapes. These securement tapes take into account the various ergonomic factors discussed above. In addition, because these tapes can be standardized and are available from one supplier, 3M simplifies inventory management and provides consistent documentation between products, which can simplify purchasing and reduce errors. For extended wear applications, 3M manufactures their 3M-4077 extended wear nonwoven tape (Figure 2). The 3M 4077 4” X 10YD (Figure 1) is a popular size at 4 inches (in.) x 10 yards (yds) with a white nonwoven polyurethane backing that is 0.16 millimeter (mm) thick. It uses an extended wear acrylic adhesive, which makes it highly comfortable for extended use. Its MVTR is specified at ~185gm/m² and is somewhat fluid resistant, allowing skin to breathe for up to 14 days of recommended use. The 3M 4077 medical securement tape is not repositionable and is recommended for one-time use only, making this tape applicable for extended wear biometric sensors that are discarded after one application. Like all the tapes discussed here, the 3M 4077 ships in a roll for ease of use. The roll is less than 8 in. in diameter and is easily stored in a
medical bay or emergency room.
embedded computer powered by a CR2032 battery. It could record the sensor reading in flash memory or send the sensor readings via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to a computer or mobile device. This is also useful for prototyping commercial biometric sensor devices based on postage stamp-sized single-board computers (SBCs). Second, this tape can be used as a standalone medical tape. The silicone adhesive side can be used for repositionable or reusable biometric sensors. This allows biometric sensors for athletes to be used and reused on a daily basis. The tape has moderate resistance to fluids and has an MVTR of 400gm/m² – good for short-term use. The 3M-2477P specifications do not recommend that the acrylic- based adhesive be used against the skin.
For some sensor monitoring applications, the sensor must be repositionable for multiple uses and must also secure a medical instrument to the skin of the patient.
For medical securement tape applications where the skin must be allowed to breathe, the tape must have a high MVTR. For these applications, 3M offers the 3M 1530 4” X 10YD. This tape measures 4 in. x 10 yds with a 0.14mm white nonwoven rayon backing material and comes with a surgical-grade acrylate medical adhesive. This construction results in a very high MVTR rate of 4200gm/m². It is not repositionable and has no resistance to fluids, making it unsuitable for most consumer biometric applications. With its high MVTR and good comfort level, the tape is specified for surgical applications and extended inpatient monitoring. It is easy to tear by hand – an advantage in emergency medical situations where events are progressing rapidly. For applications where a high degree of comfort and flexibility is required, 3M provides the 3M 9836 4” X 10YD polyurethane film surgical tape with an acrylic medical adhesive. The tape is in the standard-sized 4 in x 10 yds. The backing is polyurethane film and at only 0.03mm thick is the thinnest tape here, providing flexibility and comfort. It is water resistant and reasonably breathable at ~450gm/m², providing a good compromise between breathability and water resistance. This tape’s thin comfortable backing, flexibility, reasonable breathability, and water
resistance can make it applicable for attaching sensors to a child where the sensor and securement tape must withstand some twisting – especially important with a patient that may not be able to provide effective verbal feedback as to the comfort of the sensor attachment. For some sensor monitoring applications, the sensor must be repositionable for multiple uses and must also secure a medical instrument to the skin of the patient. In these applications, double-coated tape like the 3M 2477P 4” X 10YD is very useful (Figure 3). The tape measures 4in. x 10 yds with a very thin 0.04mm thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) backing, with adhesive on both sides (layer C). The TPE is
translucent, allowing a convenient view of the sensor and skin to assist in proper placement. On one side is a silicone acrylate medical adhesive (layer B) that is designed to be gently removed and repositioned on the skin to secure a biometric sensor. On the reverse side of the TPE backing is an acrylic-based adhesive (layer D). This second adhesive can attach securely to a miniature medical biometric sensor device. This unique medical securement tape can serve two purposes. First, it can serve as securement for both the sensor and the medical biometric recording device. This provides a compact biometric recording system without long wires. The biometric sensor device can be a very lightweight
removed and securely attached again. The comfort of the tape is always important, especially for extended- wear tapes. Nonwoven fiber tape with at least a moderate MVTR is usually the most comfortable, although polyethylene tape can be somewhat comfortable depending on the construction and placement. Tape comfort is also related to the thickness of the backing and the length of time a tape is used. Extended-wear tape needs to be comfortable for up to a week without causing patient discomfort, and thinner backing material can provide more flexibility and comfort. Figure 2: The 3M 4077 medical securement tape is recommended for extended wear of up to 14 days. It ships in a convenient roll that is less than 8in. diameter. Image source: 3M Medical Materials
Conclusion
Not all biometric sensor securement applications are the same, so there exists a wide selection of medical securement tapes. The use conditions of medical tape, including the ergonomics of the situation, determines the materials used for the backing and adhesive. Standardizing on one supplier for medical tape simplifies purchasing and inventory, reduces errors, and provides consistency in documentation.
3M medical securement tapes
Figure 3: The layers of the double-sided 3M 2477P 4 x 10 YD medical securement tape includes a silicon acrylate adhesive on one side (layer B) and an acrylic-based adhesive (layer D) on the other. Image source: 3M medical Materials
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