Proof of Concept of a Surrogate High-Adhesion Medical Tape Using Photo-Thermal Release for Rapid and Less Painful Removal

Abstract

Medical tapes often hold critical devices to the skin so having high adhesion for the lifespan of this product is of great importance. However, the removal process is challenging for caregivers and patients alike, often a painful process that can cause medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI). By using an industrial thermally sensitive tape, a surrogate photosensitive tape was developed that switched from the equivalent of high-adhesion medical tape to low-adhesion medical tape. This resulted in an 86% reduction in the average peel strength when heated from 45 to 55 °C using a custom test apparatus. To photo-release the prototype tape (PT), a near-infrared (NIR) absorbing layer was painted on the visibly clear thermal-sensitive tape and an NIR optical wand using 15-LEDs (940 nm) with thermal feedback control was designed and tested. Preliminary performance of photo-to-thermal conversion was numerically modeled with transient results matching experimental measurements with 96.8% correspondence. Using the verified energy conversion model of the surrogate photosensitive tape, a new NIR optical wand was designed for rapid and noncontact release of a future medical tape at 10 deg lower than the release temperature (RTemp) of the custom adhesive, called UnTape. Numerical simulations compared to the thermal skin pain threshold of 45 °C predicts photo-release within 1.1 s of NIR exposure (85.5% absorption in PT at < 1.3 W/cm2). The unique properties of the multifunctional UnTape system (tape and portable NIR wand) may allow even stronger skin adhesion for critical medical devices while concurrently reducing the risk of MARSI upon photo release and easy removal.