The Glue Talk Blog

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Responding to a Crisis During a Pandemic

Posted 13 Apr 2020 by Heather Walch, Global Director, Engineering Adhesives

With the outbreak of COVID-19, people around the world are flooding into hospitals and clinics seeking help — and now, more than ever, medical professionals need faster, stronger, and more reliable products. 

H.B. Fuller is at the forefront of providing the adhesives needed for better performing medical technology. Our global teams are leveraging our large network of professionals, R&D facilities, and manufacturing plants to keep up with client needs, and in turn, with the influx of patients. Read on for how our medical adhesives are providing patients with better line securement, high-quality ventilators, and efficient face shields. 

Line, Tubing, and Device Securement

Keeping catheters safe is an essential function for both patients and providers. With the wrong product, accidental line pulls can occur, and the adhesive can cause skin irritation, especially on fragile skin. With doctors and nurses being overworked as the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow, it’s essential for manufacturers to provide products that are easy to apply, built to stay in place, and comfortable for patients.

H.B. Fuller is one of the world’s expert providers of incredibly fast, efficient, and skin-friendly adhesives. We have formulated and tested products that are already in production, allowing us to react quickly to world events. Our pressure sensitive acrylic products are designed for a wide variety of applications, including IV, arterial, mid-line, CVC, PICC, and arterial sheath securement. These glues ensure a tight hold, thereby preventing accidental line pulls. They are also hypoallergenic, flexible, and comfortable.

Ventilators

Keeping stable airflow can save a patient’s life. With the COVID-19 pandemic, severely affected patients are relying on ventilators to keep constant airflow while recovering. Prolonged use of equipment, though, requires an adhesive that’s solvent free and can hold up to sterilization, as well as a bond that is strong enough to endure rigorous prolonged use.

H.B. Fuller’s adhesives have been used in the construction of medical products for more than two decades, providing a fast, strong, solvent free bond — and now is no different. Our technologies range from cyanoacrylates and UV curable adhesives cure in seconds, resulting in a tack free bond which allows our adhesives to also be used as coatings, to epoxies and polyurethanes for potting applications. They also stand up to the rigors of sterilization, such as EtO. And, for multi-use devices that are typically re-sterilized by autoclave, we leverage our epoxy technology.

Face Shields

Face shields form a barrier to protect the face from splashes and airborne debris and, with the onset of COVID-19, are in high demand. This particular form of personal protective equipment (PPE) bonds polycarbonate or polyester (PET) film to a foam. H.B. Fuller’s HL2203X hot melt adhesive provides the ideal performance for bonding the various plastics and foams used in face shield assembly. This glue is designed to be flexible enough to apply to each shield while flat and can be bent into shape when used, saving shipping and storage space. These glues are sold in a pillow form that is compatible with both automatic and manual hot melt dispensing equipment.

At H.B. Fuller, we continue designing adhesives needed for better performing medical products, especially during this pandemic. For more information, contact us today or follow our Medical page on LinkedIn.

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