In addition to performing standard maintenance on anesthesia and ventilation devices, more in-depth issues sometimes arise. For example, someone from the ICU or Anesthesiology department notices that a device is not responding as normal or is exhibiting abnormal behavior. After the usual checks, the device ends up with you as a technician from the Medical Technology department or the service organization of the manufacturer or supplier.
In-depth analysis
Sometimes there are clear descriptions of complaints and the complaint is easy to reproduce. In addition, there are also cases where the complaint cannot always be reproduced directly. In-depth analysis of the device in question is then necessary. There are several ways to investigate further and detect possible deviations. Depending on the complaint, you can perform long-term tests, such as leak tests, trend tests, and extensive analyses of flow, volume, and pressure graphs. You can also examine the oxygen control or overpressure protection.
Leak test
Technical components of anesthesia and ventilation devices are also subject to wear and tear or can simply become defective. In practice, it sometimes happens that a valve or regulator somewhere in the system does not function properly. A long-term leak test can help to get closer to the cause. You can check the entire internal circuit or parts thereof for leakage.
Trend test
A trend test of a certain parameter can also be helpful. Observing, for example, the set PEEP, the minute volume, or ventilation graphs for a longer period of time can provide information about the underlying cause of the complaint. Even after the complaint has been resolved, you can observe a specific parameter, which the complaint had an influence on, for a long time with the ventilator tester for verification and establish a “parameter-driven analysis”. A further known phenomenon is the “demonstration effect”: the complaint does not come to the fore when you are at the device, but still rears its head after some time.
In-depth measurement
More in-depth analysis or troubleshooting of an anesthesia or ventilation device is not possible without a proper measuring instrument. The VT650 and VT900 are modern ventilator testers with extensive possibilities to examine the device. What helps here is the easy setting of long-term leak tests and trend tests. You set a duration and an allowed deviation, on which the device measures. The measurements can be recorded and read out and analyzed later. The use of software for test automation with the ventilator testers can also be very valuable.
