Physical Property Comparison Between the Large and Original Cyanoacrylate Skin Protectants
Cyanoacrylate skin protectants protect intact or damaged skin in areas susceptible to the effects of moisture, friction, or shear. These skin protectants often need to be employed on sizeable areas of skin, necessitating the formulation of product configurations which cover large areas. The purpose of this study is to compare the physical properties of cyanoacrylate films created from a new larger device# to those from an existing device*.
Four different properties were tested among the devices; porcine skin sections were coated with the skin protectants, and a weighted sled attached to a universal tensile machine was pulled across the sections in order to measure their static and kinetic coefficients of friction. The amount of force needed to actuate the device applicators was then found by applying pressure to the applicator with a force gauge. Next, the maximum amount of skin area coverage was measured for each device upon application to ex vivo porcine skin.
Lastly, the time needed for each protectant to set was found by monitoring the polymerization of the material following application. The results showed statistical equivalence for both devices in their coefficients of friction, which were reduced compared to their respective controls, nothing applied. The force to actuate the devices and set time on pigskin were also equivalent. The larger device#, however, was able to achieve a significantly greater area of coverage (645 ± 19 cm2) compared to the existing device* (247 ± 11 cm2, p<.001). Therefore, the new device is equivalent to or exhibits a more favorable performance in each area tested. This study shows great promise for the improved version of an effective existing device that allows it to protect substantial areas of skin.
