Anesthesia Machine Maintenance: For Reliability & Safety

Anesthesia machines are critical components of modern healthcare. They keep patients comfortable during invasive procedures, minimize pain, and simplify doctors’ jobs. 

 

But for anesthesia machines to fulfill their crucial role, they must stay in top shape. Anesthesia machines require regular maintenance to keep units running longer, ensure patient safety, and minimize future repair costs.

 

How can you care for your anesthesia machine to preserve its longevity? From daily inspection tasks to annual service appointments, these are the essentials of anesthesia machine maintenance.

 

Daily Inspection and Preventive Maintenance

Many doctors, surgeons, and other medical professionals use anesthesia machines on a daily basis. In turn, they should be inspected every day to ensure they’re working properly. 

 

Pre-Use Checks

Before using your anesthesia machine on patients, perform a quick daily inspection by:

 

• Ensuring the gas supply lines are secure – Check that these lines are tightly attached to the machine’s other components. Give them a slight tug to make sure the clips and connectors are functioning and in operational shape.

 

• Checking the ventilator settings and alarms – If any alarms are lit up or ringing, check what they’re alerting you to and remedy the issue before using the machine. Calibrate your ventilator to your manufacturer’s settings and ensure it’s working before use.

 

• Confirming adequate oxygen levels - Check the level of oxygen in the attached tanks. If it’s low, swap them out for new ones so you don’t run out during a procedure. Likewise, ensure you have plenty of extra canisters ready to swap in on the fly.

 

Post-Use Cleaning and Disinfection

Each patient who requires the use of an anesthesia machine brings along their own unique biome of bacteria. To keep your machine safe and sanitary from one patient to the next, clean it inside and out by:

 

• Sterilizing the breathing circuit – Breathing circuits are long and corrugated, making them difficult to clean. They should always be used with a filter between the endotracheal tube and the Y piece. For optimal sterilization, use an ultrasonic cleaner to get deep within the circuit.

 

• Wiping down the external surfaces and screens – Concentrated alcohol solutions like isopropyl (above 70% alcohol) are best for sanitizing your machine’s exterior. Wipe down the mask, tubing, monitors, and other external surfaces. Let the alcohol sit for five minutes, then wipe them clean.

 

• Emptying the waste scavenging system – Waste scavenging anesthesia machines remove and capture unwanted gases from the breathing circuit. If your machine has a waste scavenging system, be sure to empty it between patients.

 

Routine Maintenance Checklist

Daily inspections are necessary to ensure the longevity of your anesthesia machine—but so are weekly care, monthly maintenance and annual service checkups. Avoid the risks of compromised patient safety and costly repairs by staying on top of upkeep.

 

Weekly Tasks

Once a week, give your anesthesia machine a more thorough checkup than you do daily. Complete these tasks when you have some free time and no patients on your schedule:

 

• Test for leaks – Shut your machine off, grab some soapy water, and rub it all over your anesthesia machine’s tubes and connectors. Flip the machine back on and search for any bubbles—these indicate that air is leaking out and the piece needs replacement. 

 

• Inspect your tubing – Look for cracks, slits, and evidence of wear and tear. Gas may not leak from these spots yet, but it likely will soon; for peace of mind, consider repairing or replacing the tube before it breaks completely. 

 

• Verify CO2 absorption – Your machine must filter out carbon dioxide (CO2) so patients can breathe in and out of the circuit. Ensure this component is functioning properly and oxygen saturation is at the correct levels.

 

Monthly Tasks

Every month, you should inspect your anesthesia machine inside and out to address any potential issues. Mark your calendar every 30 days or so to check on:

 

• The filters – Your anesthesia machine’s breathing circuit has internal filters that prevent bacteria build-up, contamination, and cross-infection between patients. They need to be replaced on a monthly basis—so make sure you know how to swap them out and always have an extra set on hand. 

 

• The vaporizer – The anesthesia machine’s vaporizer converts liquid oxygen and other compounds into usable gas for your patients. It should be inspected monthly to ensure it outputs the right chemical concentrations, and if the composition is 15% or more off its target value, the vaporizer itself must be serviced.

 

• The hoses and connections – External tubes and connectors, like the gas flow tube, should be inspected as often as possible. But internal hoses and connections can be challenging to access. Still, you must inspect them for cracks and blockages on a monthly basis to prevent potential damage.

 

Annual Servicing

There are a few more routine maintenance tasks you’ll need to perform annually. Some of these you may be able to complete on your own, such as:

 

• Sensor calibration – With time, your anesthesia machine’s sensors may begin to give false readings. To check their status, run a calibration gas with a known concentration through your machine. If the sensors return inaccurate readings, call a technician to have them serviced.

 

• Pressure monitor readjustment – Your anesthesia machine generally comes with a tool specifically created to calibrate its pressure monitor. Take it out once a year, follow the included instructions, and ensure your Pounds per Square Inch (PSI) is in check.

 

• Deep cleaning and lubrication – Dust off and wipe down every possible surface you can reach. Then, apply a generous amount of lubricant to the machine’s moving parts to keep them running smoothly until next year. 

 

In addition to these annual tasks, you should also get your anesthesia machine serviced by a certified biomedical technician at least once a year. They know medical equipment inside and out; their expert opinion will help ensure patient safety and your machine’s longevity. 

 

Common Anesthesia Machine Issues

Despite your best upkeep and regular inspections, anesthesia machines can still break down with regular use. A few of the most common issues that can arise include:

 

• Low oxygen pressure and oxygen supply failures – If an alarm is ringing or your anesthesia machine shuts off due to low oxygen pressure, don’t panic. It may be as simple as switching out a low tank. If that doesn't work, make sure nothing is impeding the gas’s flow—such as a break in the line, a kink in the tubing, or an internal blockage. 

 

• Vaporizer leaks and inaccurate agent delivery – An anesthesia machine’s vaporizer converts base liquids into usable gases, but if it leaks or malfunctions, it might not create the desired chemical. This can lead to inaccurate doses or the wrong agent being delivered to your patients. 

 

• Alarm malfunctions – It’s important to check on any alarm that goes off on your anesthesia machine to make sure every part is in proper working order. If you suspect a false alarm, however, you may be able to fix it the same way you deal with other malfunctioning electronics: by powering the machine down and restarting it after a few minutes. 

 

• Faulty components – Certain faulty components are easy to spot—such as cracked gaskets, broken tubing, or common gas outlets on anesthesia machines. Others might not be so simple to pick out and require the trained eye of a biomedical technician to identify.

 

Long-Term Benefits of Proper Maintenance

As with most complex pieces of equipment, it’s much more cost-effective to regularly maintain your anesthesia machine than to make emergency repairs. A simple issue, such as a piece of ruptured tubing, can quickly snowball into bigger problems if gas leaks into the wrong chamber or the machine runs at the incorrect pressure.

 

To keep your anesthesia machine in proper operating condition, comply with the manufacturer’s provided guidelines for maintenance, calibration, use, and repair. Likewise, you should adhere to all regulatory standards put out by trusted agencies like:

 

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

• The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)

 

Anesthesia machines are crucial to complex surgeries and other medical procedures. They must be in proper working order to ensure patient safety, operational efficiency, and minimal repair costs. 

 

Preventing Downtime with Scheduled Maintenance

Routine scheduled maintenance ensures that your anesthesia equipment stays operational when you need it most. By sticking to a regular maintenance schedule, you will:

• Minimize downtime during crucial operations.

• Ensure patient safety by preventing issues like inaccurate gas delivery or ventilator malfunctions.

• Extend the lifespan of your anesthesia machine, reducing long-term costs associated with repair and replacement.

 

When it’s time for your anesthesia machine repair or service, you’ll want to approach it with the same thought and care you put into maintaining it. That’s why you should only trust genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket parts from PartsSource.

 

Obtain Genuine, High-Quality Anesthesia Machine Components and Services at PartsSource

Your anesthesia machine should be inspected on a daily basis, properly cleaned every week, checked thoroughly once a month, and serviced annually. From the sensors to the breathing circuit, every part should be fully cleaned, tuned up, and in full working order to ensure patient safety during procedures.

At PartsSource, we understand the importance of reliable anesthesia machine repair and maintenance. We provide easy access to OEM and aftermarket parts to ensure that your anesthesia equipment is always in top condition. 

We offer:

• Unparalleled access to replacement parts, including valves, ventilators, and anesthesia machines components.

• Reliable shipping to ensure quick and timely delivery of parts, minimizing downtime.

• Expert advice and customer support for troubleshooting and locating the right components.

Whether you need gas to calibrate your machine or new sensors entirely, we have a wide variety of anesthesia machine parts for most makes and models. We also offer useful advice and expert repairs for a multitude of technical issues. When it comes to maintaining and repairing anesthesia machines, PartsSource is your trusted partner. 

 

Sources: 

 

National Library of Medicine. Anaesthesia Machine: Checklist, Hazards, Scavenging. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3821271/. 

 

National Library of Medicine. Cleaning and Sterilisation of Anaesthetic Equipment. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3821272/. 

 

National Library of Medicine. Use of filters in anaesthesia: Is it warranted? https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4155300/. 

 

University of Toledo. Vaporizer Calibration and Maintenance. https://www.utoledo.edu/research/rsp/RC/animal/sop/vaporizer-maintenance-sop.html. 

 

University of Detroit Mercy. Anesthesia Gas Machine-Test Yourself. https://healthprofessions.udmercy.edu/academics/na/agm/14.htm.