Preventative Maintenance Tips for your Anesthesia Machines

Anesthesia machines and vaporizers play a key role in surgical settings; therefore, it is important this equipment is inspected regularly to make sure it will function properly.  Preventative maintenance for anesthesia machines and vaporizers must be performed, to reduce anesthetic gas leaks, and ensure the appropriate percentage of anesthetic is being delivered. It is adviced that all personnel should be trained in the proper use of anesthetic machines and vaporizers prior to operation.  All anesthetic vaporizers must have preventive maintenance performed a least annually.

Here are some tips for preventive maintenance on your anesthesia machines and vaporizers:

• Electrical Safety inspection and battery replacement for Desflurane Vaporizers.
• Physical inspection for loose or missing screws, sharp edges, or loose connectors.
• Visual inspection for mechanical or electrical damage.
• Verify operation of safety interlock if applicable.
• Verify operation of handwheel lock and release button.
• Verify handwheel turns smoothly through entire range.
• Check Fill / Drain system operates properly and that there are no leaks.
• Verify concentration delivery accuracy at 0, 1, 3, & 5% settings using room temperature 100% Oxygen at 5 LPM flow is within manufacturer’s specifications.

As always, it is best to refer to your manufacturer's recommendations for preventative maintenance, since it could differ from the tips above.

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