Pre-Cut Adhesive Strips for Securing Airway Tubes

Abstract

An adhesive strip that could be used for securing oral or nasal airway tubes, such as endotracheal tubes or laryngeal mask airways. The adhesive strip has an elongated shape and is coated on one side with an adhesive material. At each terminal end of the adhesive strip, there is a non-adhesive tab that is free of the adhesive material. The non-adhesive tabs facilitate removal of the adhesive strip off the release liner and/or off the patient's skin. The adhesive strip can be used by adhering onto the patient's face and wrapping it around the airway tube to secure the airway tube.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a flexible backing layer comprising a first side, a second side, a middle portion, a first end, and a second end, wherein the middle portion is between the first end and the second end;   wherein an adhesive material is applied to the first side of the middle portion but not to the first end nor the second end;   wherein the first end and the second end comprise visible indicia differentiating the first end and the second end from the middle portion.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visible indicia indicate portions of the flexible backing layer that are not adhered to a patient. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visible indicia are on the second side of the first end and the second end but not the first side. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visible indicia comprise the first end and the second end being colored different than the middle portion. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visible indicia comprise the first end and the second end being textured differently than the middle portion. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the visible indicia comprise the first end and the second end having letters identifying the tabs from the middle portion. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the middle portion is adjacent to each the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material is adjacent to each the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material is configured to couple the middle portion to a patient's skin. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the flexible backing layer is at least five times a width of the flexible backing layer. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a release liner coupled to the flexible backing layer. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a second flexible backing layer coupled to the release liner. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising a perforation arranged in the release liner between the flexible backing layer and the second flexible backing layer. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible backing layer is disposed on a roll. 
     
     
         15 . An adhesive strip, comprising:
 a first end;   a second end; and   a middle portion that is between and adjacent to the first end and the second end;   wherein an adhesive material is applied to a first side of the middle portion, wherein the first end is non-adhesive such that the first end is configured to not adhere to a patient when the adhesive strip is adhered to the patient, and wherein the first end comprises a marking to visually distinguish the first end from the middle portion.   
     
     
         16 . The adhesive strip of  claim 15 , wherein the adhesive material is applied to a first side of the second end. 
     
     
         17 . The adhesive strip of  claim 15 , wherein the second end is non-adhesive such that the second end is configured to not adhere to a patient when the adhesive strip is adhered to the patient, and wherein the second end comprises a second marking to visually distinguish the second end from the middle portion. 
     
     
         18 . The adhesive strip of  claim 15 , wherein a length of the adhesive strip is at least five times a width of the adhesive strip. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 applying an adhesive material to a first side of a middle portion of an adhesive strip, wherein the middle portion is between and adjacent to a first end and a second end of the adhesive strip, and wherein the adhesive material is not applied to the first end and the second end;   providing visible markings on the first end and the second end that distinguish the first end and the second end from the middle portion.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the visible markings indicate non-adhesive portions of the adhesive strip.