Get the Most Out of Your Anesthesia Vaporizer with Routine Cleaning & Calibration

Like any finely tuned piece of machinery, anesthesia vaporizers require regular maintenance to function at industry safety and performance standards. Without regular service, vaporizers might not deliver the correct concentration of anesthetic agent, possibly causing harm to staff and patients. 

Manufacturers recommend scheduling anesthetic vaporizer cleaning and calibration on a regular basis to keep your anesthesia vaporizer in good working condition — usually within one to three years with regular use. In this article, get tips for finding a reliable service provider, maintaining your vaporizer between calibrations, and troubleshooting errors in the field. 

How to Choose A Trustworthy Anesthetic Vaporizer Servicer 

When you begin your search for a company to perform vaporizer maintenance, it’s important to look for a provider that has the appropriate expertise and documentation protocols to keep your equipment and your facility protected. 

For example, be sure that whichever company you choose fully disassembles your vaporizer and performs a complete cleaning process. The technician should also check and replace the wicks, sight glass, O-rings and knobs. 

After the unit is cleaned and assessed, your servicing company should hook up your vaporizer to a monitor and a gas analyzer to measure volume percentage from the beginning, middle, and end. This allows the biomedical technician to adjust the vaporizer until all the settings provide accurate and precise outputs. 

The company should also provide you with the following documentation each time your vaporizer is serviced: 

• Date of last service
• Date of the validation test
• Initials of the person who performed the test
• Test results
• Certificate of calibration date
• Documentation of service

How to Maintain Your Vaporizer Between Routine Calibrations 

Scheduling routine anesthesia vaporizer maintenance is the best way to ensure your equipment is in working order, but it's also important to practice good vaporizer handling procedures in your facility. 

When an anesthetic vaporizer at your facility isn't in use, store it upright in a climate-controlled environment to make sure it stays in peak condition, ready to use when you need it. 

If your vaporizer hasn't been used in a while, biomedical technicians suggest filling the vaporizer with anesthetic agent and letting the unit sit before use. The wick can sometimes dry out during long periods of storage, so allowing the agent to rest in the vaporizer helps to ensure the wick is fully saturated. 

How to Troubleshoot Your Vaporizer in the Field 

Abnormal patient response is the biggest indicator that your anesthetic vaporizer is functioning incorrectly. If a patient is regaining consciousness at unexpected times or you are using more anesthetic agent than normal, then there is a good chance that your vaporizer is to blame. 

To determine if your vaporizer is leaking, biomedical technicians recommend performing a leak check with the vaporizer on. First, pressurize the system so it delivers stable readings. Then, turn on your vaporizer. If the pressure drops a few cmH2O when you turn it on, but then stabilizes and holds, then your vaporizer is most likely fine. 

If you turn on your vaporizer and the pressure drops significantly and will not hold pressure, then your vaporizer probably needs servicing. Large pressure drops might also indicate that the O-rings on the vaporizer block might need to be replaced. 

It is important to make sure that your anesthesia vaporizer is free from hair, dust, and other particulates as a preventive measure against leaks and other malfunctions. Debris blockages are common in older, pour-fill vaporizers and can eventually disrupt the unit’s function. 

For more information on veterinary anesthesia vaporizer sourcing, repair, or services, contact an Avante Animal Health representative today.