orfit CRYSTAL NS User manual

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
ORFIT®CRYSTAL NS
A. GENERAL PRODUCT INFORMATION
ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is a low temperature thermoplastic material
intended for the fabrication of soft braces and orthoses.
ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is applied directly to the patient after it is
activated.
!ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is not suitable for internal use. It may not be
used on open wounds or in the mouth.
B. PRODUCT RANGE
This product is available in sheets of different thicknesses, sizes
and perforation types.
Art. No. Sizes in mm Type Thickness
1438.1/NS 450 x 600 non perfo 2.4 mm
1434.1/NS 450 x 600 non perfo 3.2 mm
C. PRECAUTIONS BEFORE USE
1. The workplace must be well-ventilated to avoid overheating.
2. The necessary tools should in no way put the patient at risk.
3. Encourage the patient to assume a comfortable position and
make sure that you position yourself in an easy working
position.
D. WORKING PROPERTIES
1. Cutting
ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is a very soft product. It can easily be cut
with a suitable pair of sharp scissors.
2. Activation
2.1. Activation in a water bath
ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is softened by heating at a minimum
temperature of 75°C –77°C (167°F – 171°F).
Activation time: 10 min.
Take the material out of the water bath and cool down on a wet
towel or on a cool and smooth surface before applying it to the
patient.
! Make sure that the temperature of the activated material will
not burn the patient.
2.2. Activation in an oven or with a dry heating device
ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is softened by heating at a temperature of
80°C – 90°C (176°F – 194°F).
Activation time: 5 to 7 minutes.
When using a dry heater, heating plate or a hot air oven, the hot
surface must be covered with a Teflon film.
When using a heat gun, do not exceed the set temperature of
250°C (482°F) to avoid breakdown of the material.
High temperatures up to a maximum of 180°C (356°F) do not
damage ORFIT CRYSTAL NS, but are not user-friendly. Higher
temperatures are allowed on the condition that the activation
time is reduced accordingly.
! Wear gloves and do not apply ORFIT CRYSTAL NS directly to the
patient's skin at high activation temperatures.
!Never use an open flame to activate ORFIT CRYSTAL NS.
3. Application
Let ORFIT CRYSTAL NS cool sufficiently before application on the
patient.
ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is:
Temporarily cohesive when wet heated (min 80°C-176°F), dried
thoroughly on a towel and pressed together firmly.
Reactivation in hot water, by dry heater or in a hot air oven is
possible.
Permanently cohesive when dry heated (min 80°C-176°F) after
scraping off the NS coating.
4. Application of hook and loop tape:
Hook and loop tape can be used to make sure the patient can
easily put the orthosis on and off whenever desired or necessary.
Use one of the following techniques to apply hook and loop tape
onto the ORFIT CRYSTAL NS orthosis:
4.a. Technique 1: D- strapping
1. Cut a piece (6-8 cm) of double-sided velour loop tape (art.
No. 35444L).
2. Cut a small piece (2-3 cm) of double-sided micro hook tape
(art. No. 35444H).
3. Cut a small longitudinal incision (25 mm length = width of the
double-sided velour loop tape) at minimum 1 cm distance
from the edge of the orthosis. Cut a second small incision at
the contralateral edge of the orthosis at the same level of the
first incision.
4. Glide one end of the double-sided velour loop tape into one
of the incisions and glide the other end of the tape in the
contralateral incision (from inside to outside).
5. Let both ends of the loop tape overlap each other (in the
middle of the two orthoses edges) and attach the small piece
of double-sided micro hook tape between them.
6. Make the orthosis fit the patient correctly by pulling the free
ends of the loop tape towards each other and strap them
tightly enough on the hook tape.
Example: result of technique 1

Note:
It is prohibited to make alterations to this text without prior approval from Orfit Industries.
ORFIT®is a registered trademark of ORFIT INDUSTRIES N.V.
www.orfit.com
Ref. No. 50080
VERSION 4
LAST UPDATE: 11/05/2021
REVISION DATE: 11/05/2023
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4.b. Technique 2:
1. Cut a small piece of self-adhesive hook tape.
2. Scrape off the NS coating locally on the spot where you want
to apply the tape.
3. Shortly dry heat the surface of the ORFIT CRYSTAL NS
orthosis until the orthotic fabrication material becomes
slightly brilliant and sticky.
4. Dry heat the sticky side of the self-adhesive hook tape until
the glue starts to melt.
5. Glue the hook tape with the sticky side onto the heated spot
of the ORFIT CRYSTAL NS orthosis and press firmly together
to make sure both materials are well-bonded sufficiently.
6. Repeat the same technique on the contralateral orthosis
edge side.
7. Connect both pieces of hook tape with a separate piece of
loop tape to open and/or close the orthosis.
8. Make the orthosis fit the patient correctly by pulling the free
end of the loop tape and strapping it onto the applied hook
tapes.
Please note that the adherence of the self-adhesive hook
tape onto the ORFIT CRYSTAL NS orthosis is not as durable as
with other orthotic fabrication materials.
E. FINISHING AND REINFORCING
Give the edges of an ORFIT CRYSTAL NS orthosis a smooth and
even finish by local reheating and rubbing with a wet finger.
As ORFIT CRYSTAL NS is a soft material, you might need to
reinforce your orthosis. In order to reinforce your orthosis you
can add a piece of thermoplastic material, preferably sticky
material (e.g. Orfit Classic, Orfilight, …). Cut out a strip and dry
heat this piece. Afterwards mould it to your ORFIT CRYSTAL NS
orthosis. Finally, dry heat a cover piece of ORFIT CRYSTAL NS and
put it on top of the reinforcement strip. Make your cover piece
large enough that it overlaps your reinforcement strip completely
and so adhere to the orthosis itself. Make sure you always
remove the NS coating locally before dry heating. This will allow
you to make a permanent bonding between the edges of the
cover piece and the ORFIT CRYSTAL NS orthosis.
F. MAINTENANCE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
W When cleaning ORFIT CRYSTAL NS, avoid prolonged contact
with detergents and acids.
After use, ORFIT CRYSTAL NS can be disposed of with normal
household waste without harming the environment.
G. STORAGE
ORFIT CRYSTAL NS sheets and leftovers must be stored
individually in their original plastic packaging to avoid cohesion.
H. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For additional information such as distributor contact
information, product brochures, Safety Data Sheets and
regulatory information, please visit our website www.orfit.com