Method for improving medical tongue depressor

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for improving a medical tongue depressor, and relates to the field of medical instrument materials and products. A tongue surface of a polypropylene tongue depressor is polished to form a micro rough structure; then, a PET light-emitting film and a transparent anti-skid film are sequentially attached to the surface, medical polyurethane glue or epoxy glue is used in the middle for bonding, the edge is sealed through a medical silica gel belt or a thermal shrinkage film, and the whole structure can resist steam sterilization treatment. The improved tongue depressor has the advantages that the friction coefficient, the edge safety and the durability are obviously improved in a humid environment; and meanwhile, green fluorescence is presented under the irradiation of an operating shadowless lamp, so that clinical positioning and use are facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device materials and products, and in particular to an improved method for a medical tongue depressor. Background Technology

[0002] Tongue depressors are commonly used clinical instruments in pediatrics, dentistry, and otolaryngology to depress a child's tongue to facilitate observation of the throat or floor of the mouth. Existing tongue depressors come in various types and variations in terms of materials, surface treatment, slip resistance, safety, and sterilization resistance, but some problems remain unresolved.

[0003] The most common materials for tongue depressors are wood or bamboo. These materials are inexpensive, easy to process, and disposable, avoiding cross-contamination. However, wood or bamboo may have burrs, a smooth surface (especially when moistened with saliva, the coefficient of friction decreases), good water absorption, poor heat resistance and sterilization, and are prone to deformation or cracking.

[0004] Plastics such as polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene are used for disposable or reusable tongue depressors. Although plastic sheets have relatively good water resistance and shape stability, they may still slip in the moist oral environment; if the edges are not finely processed, they may also have sharp or uneven edges; high-temperature sterilization (such as steam sterilization at 121-134°C) may cause the plastic to deform or fade.

[0005] To enhance functionality, existing patents or utility models have added anti-slip structures, coatings, or silicone / rubber / silicone sleeves to tongue depressors. For example, CN204950876U provides a tongue depressor for children, in which the top of the tongue depressor section is fitted with a silicone sleeve to protect oral tissues and features an anti-slip decorative pattern structure.

[0006] The tongue depressor for children, CN205458568U, has an anti-slip textured structure (raised texture) on its outer surface to improve grip and anti-slip performance during use.

[0007] For example, US5553627A describes a plastic tongue depressor with a non-slip surface designed on its tongue-contact section, including structures such as embossing, cross-grooving, and sloping surfaces, to prevent the tongue from sliding when wet.

[0008] Some patents use coatings or covering structures. For example, US20020183596A1 describes a structure in which a sugar coating (hard candy or chocolate) covers a part of a tongue depressor to improve children’s acceptance. However, this “coating” is not specifically designed for anti-slip or sterilization resistance. Its main purpose is to attract taste or for entertainment purposes, and it has poor stability under moist or sterilized conditions.

[0009] Despite the numerous improvements mentioned above, these techniques still have the following shortcomings in actual pediatric clinical settings: While some tongue depressors feature anti-slip textures or coatings, most designs are only effective in the dry state or on the handle, and their anti-slip performance is not adequately optimized for direct contact with the tongue or sliding when the tongue surface is wet. For example, although US5553627A uses a non-slip surface structure, its non-slip structure is mainly cross-grooved or raised, lacking the overall coverage effect of a film coating or adhesive / heat-pressed film protection.

[0010] If the edges of wooden / plastic tongue depressors are not carefully rounded or sealed, they may have sharp edges or burrs that can scratch the tongue mucosa or throat tissue. While some utility models, such as CN204950876U, have silicone sleeves to protect the tongue tip, this protection often involves a sleeve covering the handle or tongue depressor section rather than a strict sealing of the edges to prevent the film or coating from peeling off.

[0011] Under repeated steam sterilization, high-temperature, or chemical disinfection environments, wood or plastic boards often deform, warp, peel off their film, lose coating, or fade. Existing patents rarely explicitly require or demonstrate data or structural designs that ensure the anti-slip texture / coating / film retains its function after multiple high-temperature sterilization processes. Summary of the Invention

[0012] Based on the problems raised in the background art described above, this invention proposes an improved method for medical tongue depressors, the technical solution of which is as follows: An improved method for a medical tongue depressor includes the following steps: Step 1: Select a pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor, 10-15cm in length, 2.5-3cm on the tongue surface, and 0.8-1cm thick. Sand the tongue surface with sandpaper, clean and dry with saline solution; cut a PET luminescent film, apply a 0.04-0.08mm thick adhesive to the rough area of ​​the tongue surface, align and attach the luminescent film, remove air, cover with a 500-1000g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 20-30 minutes; Step 2: Laying the composite anti-slip film: Cut the anti-slip film to completely cover the PET light-emitting film, ensuring the edges do not extend beyond the tongue surface. Apply a 0.05-0.1mm thick adhesive to the surface of the PET light-emitting film, remove air bubbles, and cover with a 500-1000g sterile weight. Allow to cure at room temperature for 25-40 minutes. Step 3: Edge sealing and sterilization: Cut the sealing material to the circumference of the tongue plus 3-5mm, wrap it along the seam between the composite film and the substrate, overlap the seam by 2-5mm, and heat shrink and shape it with a hot air gun for 20-30 seconds; put the tongue depressor into a sterilization bag and seal it, and sterilize it in a hospital pulse vacuum sterilizer at 100-121℃ for 15-30 minutes. Step 4: Fluorescence localization verification: Illuminate the tongue depressor under a surgical shadowless lamp and observe the fluorescence effect in a dark room. It should show uniform green fluorescence with clear boundaries that allow the edge of the tongue depressor to be identified.

[0013] In some embodiments, the roughness of the pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor after polishing is 1.6-2.0 µm.

[0014] In some embodiments, the thickness of the PET luminescent film is 0.08-0.1 mm.

[0015] In some embodiments, the adhesive is a medical polyurethane adhesive or an epoxy resin adhesive with an adhesion strength ≥ 5 N / cm.

[0016] In some embodiments, the anti-slip film is selected from Invisi-Grip, 3M Safety-Walk, or Rust OleumSafeStep.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sealing material is medical silicone tape or heat shrink film.

[0018] In some embodiments, the temperature of the hot air gun is 80-90°C.

[0019] In some embodiments, the surgical shadowless lamp has a wavelength of 400-500nm.

[0020] The core mechanism of this improved solution revolves around "firm adhesion - safety protection - functional realization": the tongue surface is sanded to a specified roughness, increasing the contact area between the substrate and the adhesive layer to form a "microscopic interlocking" structure, enhancing the bonding force between the adhesive and the substrate, and laying the foundation for the PET luminescent film lamination; the PET inert substrate and microcapsule-encapsulated fluorescent layer design of the PET luminescent film, combined with the complete coverage of the subsequent composite film, can not only isolate saliva from direct contact with the fluorescent layer to prevent the migration of fluorescent substances, but also avoid the PET luminescent film from being directly impacted by the high temperature of sterilization; The excellent chemical compatibility of the composite film and adhesive can form strong chemical bonds, while the silicone side, with its high frictional properties and microporous structure, adsorbs saliva to achieve an anti-slip function. After heat shrinking, the sealing material uses elastic deformation to fill the seam between the film and the substrate, forming a "physical sealing barrier" to prevent sterilization steam from seeping in and causing the film to peel off. During sterilization, steam with specified parameters can destroy the cell walls of microorganisms, and the PET substrate of the luminescent film is modified for high temperature resistance, making its molecular structure stable at high temperatures. Finally, the specific wavelength of light from the surgical shadowless lamp is absorbed by the dye molecules of the PET luminescent film, causing them to transition from the ground state to the excited state. The green fluorescence released when transitioning back to the ground state forms a clear contrast with the surrounding tissue, allowing doctors to quickly locate the tongue depressor through a clear fluorescent outline and avoid visual blind spots.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: 1. Significantly improves anti-slip performance, especially with strong stability in wet environments. With the addition of a medical-grade film, the tongue surface is covered with a protective film, preventing the tongue depressor from slipping due to direct contact with saliva. The protective film is integrated with the adhesive / heat-pressed structure, significantly increasing both static and dynamic friction coefficients in a moist state. This makes the tongue depressor less prone to slipping during use in the oral cavity, allowing doctors to maintain a stable observation / operation angle.

[0022] 2. Significantly enhanced edge safety, reducing the risk of oral mucosal damage. By sealing the edges of the tongue and the film, the protective film is made smooth and free of any raised or sharp parts, reducing the possibility of scratches or punctures to the tongue or throat when the child uses it, thus improving comfort and safety.

[0023] 3. Excellent resistance to disinfection and durability; maintains good performance even after multiple sterilization cycles. The selected membrane material and adhesive combination can withstand multiple cycles of steam sterilization or chemical disinfection without problems such as membrane peeling, bubbling, deformation, or adhesion failure, ensuring that the tongue depressor can still be used in repeated clinical use or cleaning and disinfection environments, thus extending its service life.

[0024] 4. High adhesion strength, the film and the plate are firmly bonded. The selection of the bonding method and membrane material ensures high adhesion strength between the protective film and the tongue depressor substrate, preventing the film from peeling or loosening due to tongue pressure or finger friction during use.

[0025] 5. Maintain the original shape and hardness of the tongue depressor, without significantly affecting its strength. The diaphragm thickness and coverage area are designed reasonably, which has a slight impact on the original rigidity, bending strength and pressure resistance of the tongue depressor, so that the modified plate still meets the mechanical rigidity required by the tongue depressor during operation. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The features of the present invention are further illustrated below through embodiments, but the scope of protection of this patent is not limited to the embodiments.

[0027] The following adhesives are medical-grade polyurethane adhesive (adhesion strength ≥ 5 N / cm); PET luminescent film (Quanzhou Tongxing YGM-001); the composite film is (PET luminescent film + anti-slip film).

[0028] Example 1 An improved method for a medical tongue depressor includes the following steps: Step 1: Select a pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor, 10cm in length, 2.5cm on the tongue surface, and 0.8cm thick. Sand the tongue surface with sandpaper, clean and dry with saline solution; cut a PET luminescent film, apply a 0.04mm thick layer of medical epoxy resin adhesive (adhesion strength ≥5N / cm) to the rough area of ​​the tongue surface, align and attach the luminescent film, remove air, cover with a 500g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 20 minutes; Step 2: Apply composite anti-slip film; Cut the anti-slip film to completely cover the PET light-emitting film, ensuring the edges do not extend beyond the tongue surface. Apply a 0.05mm thick adhesive to the surface of the PET light-emitting film, remove air, cover with a 500g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 25 minutes. Step 3: Edge sealing and sterilization; Cut the sealing material to the circumference of the tongue plus 3mm, wrap it along the seam between the composite film and the substrate, overlap by 2mm, and heat shrink and shape it with a hot air gun at 83℃ for 20 seconds; put the tongue depressor into a sterilization bag and seal it, and sterilize it in a hospital pulse vacuum sterilizer at 100℃ for 15 minutes. Step 4: Fluorescence localization verification; Procedure: Illuminate the tongue depressor with a surgical shadowless lamp with a wavelength of 400nm and observe the fluorescence effect in a dark room; the tongue depressor shows uniform green fluorescence, and the fluorescence boundary is clear and the edge of the tongue depressor can be identified.

[0029] Example 2 An improved method for a medical tongue depressor includes the following steps: Step 1: Select a pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor, 12cm in length, 2.8mm on the tongue surface, and 0.85cm thick. Sand the tongue surface with sandpaper, clean and dry with saline solution; cut the PET light-emitting film, apply a 0.05mm thick adhesive to the rough area of ​​the tongue surface, align and attach the light-emitting film, remove air, cover with an 800g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 25 minutes. Step 2: Apply composite anti-slip film; Cut the anti-slip film to completely cover the PET light-emitting film, ensuring the edges do not extend beyond the tongue surface. Apply a 0.06mm thick adhesive to the surface of the PET light-emitting film, remove air, cover with an 800g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 30 minutes. Step 3: Edge sealing and sterilization; Cut the sealing material to the circumference of the tongue plus 4mm, wrap it along the seam between the composite film and the substrate, overlap by 3mm, and heat shrink and shape it with a hot air gun at 83℃ for 25 seconds; put the tongue depressor into a sterilization bag and seal it, and sterilize it in a hospital pulse vacuum sterilizer at 105℃ for 20 minutes. Step 4: Fluorescence localization verification; Procedure: Illuminate the tongue depressor with a surgical lamp with a wavelength of 430nm and observe the fluorescence effect in a dark room; the tongue depressor shows uniform green fluorescence, and the fluorescence boundary is clear and the edge of the tongue depressor can be identified.

[0030] Example 3 An improved method for a medical tongue depressor includes the following steps: Step 1: Select a pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor, 14cm in length, 2.9cm on the tongue surface, and 0.9cm thick. Sand the tongue surface with sandpaper, clean and dry with saline solution; cut the PET luminescent film, apply a 0.06mm thick adhesive to the rough area of ​​the tongue surface, align and attach the luminescent film, remove air, cover with an 800g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 25 minutes. Step 2: Apply composite anti-slip film; Cut the anti-slip film to completely cover the PET light-emitting film, ensuring the edges do not extend beyond the tongue surface. Apply a 0.09mm thick adhesive to the surface of the PET light-emitting film, remove air, cover with an 800g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 30 minutes. Step 3: Edge sealing and sterilization; Cut the sealing material to the circumference of the tongue plus 5mm, wrap it along the seam between the composite film and the substrate, overlap by 4mm, and heat shrink and shape it with a hot air gun at 87℃ for 30 seconds; put the tongue depressor into a sterilization bag and seal it, and sterilize it in a hospital pulse vacuum sterilizer at 115℃ for 25 minutes. Step 4: Fluorescence localization verification; Procedure: Illuminate the tongue depressor with a surgical shadowless lamp with a wavelength of 470nm and observe the fluorescence effect in a dark room; the tongue depressor shows uniform green fluorescence, and the fluorescence boundary is clear and the edge of the tongue depressor can be identified.

[0031] Example 4 An improved method for a medical tongue depressor includes the following steps: Step 1: Select a pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor, 15cm in length, 3cm on the tongue surface, and 1cm thick. Sand the tongue surface with sandpaper, clean and dry with saline solution; cut a PET luminescent film, apply a 0.08mm thick adhesive to the rough area of ​​the tongue surface, align and attach the luminescent film, remove air, cover with a 1000g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 30 minutes. Step 2: Apply composite anti-slip film; Cut the anti-slip film to completely cover the PET light-emitting film, ensuring the edges do not extend beyond the tongue surface. Apply a 0.1mm thick adhesive to the surface of the PET light-emitting film, remove air bubbles, cover with a 1000g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 40 minutes. Step 3: Edge sealing and sterilization; Cut the sealing material to the circumference of the tongue plus 5mm, wrap it along the seam between the composite film and the substrate, overlap by 5mm, and heat shrink and shape it for 30 seconds with a hot air gun at 90℃; put the tongue depressor into a sterilization bag and seal it, and sterilize it in a hospital pulse vacuum sterilizer at 121℃ for 30 minutes. Step 4: Fluorescence localization verification; Procedure: Illuminate the tongue depressor with a surgical shadowless lamp with a wavelength of 500nm and observe the fluorescence effect in a dark room; the tongue depressor shows uniform green fluorescence, and the fluorescence boundary is clear and the edge of the tongue depressor can be identified.

[0032] Test method: 1. Surface roughness Ra measurement Method: A contact profilometer was used to measure 3-5 equally divided points on the tongue surface, and the average value was taken. Target Ra = 1.6-2.0 µm.

[0033] The resolution of the measuring device should be ≤ 0.1 µm.

[0034] 2. Wet static / dynamic friction coefficient (anti-slip performance) Methodological key points: Based on the commonly used slider method in the industry, 0.2 mL of artificial saliva is dropped onto the sample surface. The slider substrate is made of tongue-like mucosa material or medical-grade stainless steel. The vertical load is N = 4.9 N (≈0.5 kg), and the traction speed is 10 mm / s. The maximum starting traction force F_s (calculate μ_s = F_s / N) and the stable traction force F_k (calculate μ_k = F_k / N) are recorded. The method is repeated 3 times, and the average value is taken.

[0035] 3. Adhesion strength (peel strength) Methods: 180° peel test, speed 300 mm / min, peel strength N / cm was recorded. Tests were conducted in dry and wet conditions (immersion in artificial saliva at 37°C for 24 h).

[0036] 4. Biocompatibility (Cytotoxicity) Methods: Extracts were prepared from the material (0.2 g / mL, 37°C, 24 h). L929 cells were subjected to the MTT assay or equivalent assay to determine cell viability (≥70% was considered as no significant cytotoxicity). Skin stimulation was then performed after in vitro testing. Table 1 Test Results The surface roughness (Ra), coefficient of friction (static / dynamic), peel strength (dry / wet) and cytotoxicity survival rate of Examples 1-4 show a gradual optimization trend, with overall performance continuously improving.

[0037] Although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and embodiments. They can be applied to various fields suitable for the present invention. Other modifications can be easily made by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific details without departing from the general concept defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for improving a medical tongue depressor, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Select a pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor, 10-15cm in length, 2.5-3cm on the tongue surface, and 0.8-1cm thick. Sand the tongue surface with sandpaper, clean and dry with saline solution; cut a PET luminescent film, apply a 0.04-0.08mm thick adhesive to the rough area of ​​the tongue surface, align and attach the luminescent film, remove air, cover with a 500-1000g sterile weight, and cure at room temperature for 20-30 minutes; Step 2: Apply composite anti-slip film; Cut the anti-slip film to completely cover the PET light-emitting film, ensuring the edges do not extend beyond the tongue surface. Apply a 0.05-0.1mm thick adhesive to the surface of the PET light-emitting film, remove air bubbles, and cover with a 500-1000g sterile weight. Allow to cure at room temperature for 25-40 minutes. Step 3: Edge sealing and sterilization; Cut the sealing material to the circumference of the tongue plus 3-5mm, wrap it along the seam between the composite film and the substrate, overlap the seam by 2-5mm, and heat shrink and shape it with a hot air gun for 20-30 seconds; put the tongue depressor into a sterilization bag and seal it, and sterilize it in a hospital pulse vacuum sterilizer at 100-121℃ for 15-30 minutes. Step 4: Fluorescence localization verification; Illuminate the tongue depressor under a surgical shadowless lamp and observe the fluorescence effect in a dark room. It should show uniform green fluorescence with clear boundaries that allow the edge of the tongue depressor to be identified.

2. The improved method for a medical tongue depressor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The roughness of the pediatric medical polypropylene tongue depressor after polishing is 1.6-2.0 µm.

3. The improved method for a medical tongue depressor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the PET luminescent film is 0.08-0.1 mm.

4. The improved method for a medical tongue depressor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adhesive is a medical-grade polyurethane adhesive or epoxy resin adhesive, with an adhesion strength ≥ 5 N / cm.

5. The improved method for a medical tongue depressor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anti-slip film is selected from Invisi-Grip, 3M Safety-Walk, or Rust Oleum SafeStep.

6. The improved method for a medical tongue depressor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing material is medical silicone tape or heat shrink film.

7. The improved method for a medical tongue depressor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature of the hot air gun is 80-90℃.

8. The improved method for a medical tongue depressor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surgical shadowless lamp has a wavelength of 400-500nm.

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