Study of the adhesiveness of medical tapes when wet, dry or following application of Friars' balsam

Summary Background: Adhesive tapes are routinely used during anesthesia for vital roles such as securing tracheal tubes or intravascular access devices. There are currently very few experimental data available to guide the choice of tape for a particular indication. Methods: The performance of four medical adhesive tapes (Sleek™, Elastoplast™, Mefix™ and Leukoplast™ zinc oxide) was evaluated under three different conditions (wet, dry and following prior application of Friars’ balsam). A strain gauge was used to determine the force required to detach each tape from the skin of the inner forearm. The test was repeated 20 times under each standardized condition. Statistical analysis was performed using two way anova and the Scheffe posthoc test. Results: Leukoplast was the most adhesive tape overall (P