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What This Guide Helps With
Addresses piston homing or system-test failures caused by breathing-system setup, obstructions, leaks, connections, accessories, or external mechanical interference.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Patient and Maintain Ventilation
Do not troubleshoot an unreliable anesthesia ventilator while a patient depends on it. Transfer ventilation to another verified method or anesthesia machine according to clinical procedure before beginning technical evaluation.
Inspect for obvious damage, contamination, liquid intrusion, unusual odor, or mechanical obstruction.
Expected outcome: The patient is supported independently and the Atlan A100 can be evaluated without affecting patient care. If damage or a safety hazard is present, remove the machine from service and stop troubleshooting.
2. Confirm the Exact Failure
Repeat the applicable startup or system test only when the machine is disconnected from patient use. Record the point at which the test stops and any displayed message exactly as shown.
Determine whether the piston fails to move, moves but cannot home, or completes movement but the overall system test still fails.
Expected outcome: The failure is reproducible and clearly separated into a piston-motion issue or another system-test failure. If the test now completes normally, verify operation and troubleshooting can stop.
3. Verify AC Power and Normal Startup
Confirm the machine is connected to a known-good AC source and starts normally. Inspect the power cord, plug, inlet, and visible power indicators.
Avoid continuing test cycles on questionable battery power when AC power is available.
Expected outcome: Stable AC power is present and the machine completes its normal startup sequence. Correct an external power problem before continuing.
4. Inspect the Breathing System for Incorrect Assembly
Inspect accessible breathing-system components for correct installation and secure seating. Check the breathing-system assembly, absorber assembly, hoses, reservoir bag connection, circuit connections, and any components removed for cleaning or replacement.
Look for a component that is partially seated, reversed, loose, or mechanically preventing normal system movement.
Expected outcome: All external breathing-system components are correctly installed and seated. If correcting assembly allows the system test to pass, perform final verification and stop.
5. Check for Obstruction or Mechanical Interference
With the machine out of clinical service, inspect accessible breathing pathways and external moving interfaces for foreign material, kinked tubing, retained caps, packaging, pooled fluid, or incorrectly routed accessories.
Do not force the piston mechanism or disassemble the ventilator drive.
Expected outcome: No external obstruction or interference is present. If an obstruction is safely removed and the test subsequently passes, troubleshooting can stop after verification.
6. Check Circuit and Test Accessories
Verify that the breathing circuit and any test-device connections required for the machine's normal test configuration are properly connected and intact.
Substitute a known-good compatible circuit or external accessory if the existing component is questionable.
Expected outcome: The system test is being performed with intact, correctly connected accessories. A successful test after substitution identifies the external accessory as the cause.
7. Inspect for Significant Breathing-System Leakage
Check accessible seals, connections, canister interfaces, circuit fittings, and breathing-system mounting points for looseness, damage, or missing seals.
A substantial leak may prevent the ventilator from successfully completing portions of its test sequence.
Expected outcome: No obvious external leakage point is present. If reseating or replacing an approved external component restores a passing test, proceed to final verification.
8. Restart and Repeat the System Test
After correcting any external setup issue, perform a normal controlled restart and rerun the manufacturer-provided system test without entering unauthorized service functions.
Observe piston behavior and whether the complete test sequence finishes normally.
Expected outcome: The piston homes correctly and the system test completes successfully. If so, proceed to final functional verification and troubleshooting can stop.
9. Perform Final Functional Verification
Verify normal ventilation using an appropriate test lung and approved anesthesia test equipment as required by facility procedure. Confirm ventilation, pressure response, alarms, displayed measurements, and general system operation.
Expected outcome: The machine passes required operational checks and produces stable, credible results. Only then may it be considered for return to service.
10. Escalate an Unresolved Piston or Test Failure
If the piston still cannot home or the machine repeatedly fails its system test after external causes have been eliminated, do not continue repeated cycling or attempt internal drive repair.
Expected outcome: The machine is removed from service and referred for qualified service evaluation.
If the Problem Persists
Common external causes such as breathing-system assembly, circuit setup, obstruction, leakage, accessories, and power have been ruled out. A persistent failure may involve the ventilator drive, piston-position sensing, internal pneumatic components, control electronics, or another service-level condition.
The device should be:
- Removed from service.
- Labeled Out of Service.
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation.
- Evaluated using appropriate Drager service documentation and approved test equipment.
- Repaired or configured only by qualified personnel.
- Fully tested through the required anesthesia-machine checkout and return-to-service process before clinical use.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting rather than forcing or disassembling the ventilator is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Move the patient to another verified ventilation method before investigating any piston movement or system-test failure.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"OR staff reported that the Drager Atlan A100 would not complete the system test because the piston ventilator would not home."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the breathing-system assembly was not fully seated after cleaning, preventing the normal test sequence from completing."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering correctly reseated the breathing system, repeated the system test successfully, verified ventilation and alarms with appropriate test equipment, and returned the unit to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact system-test message
- Point in the test where failure occurred
- Whether piston movement was observed
- AC or battery operating state
- Breathing-system assembly condition
- Circuit and test-lung configuration
- Components recently cleaned or replaced
- Obstructions, leaks, or loose connections found
- Results before and after correction
- Final system-test result
- Final return-to-service status
Final Thought
Patient safety comes first. Verify power, breathing-system setup, accessories, leaks, and external interference before assuming an internal ventilator failure. Escalate persistent failures appropriately and clearly document what was reported, found, corrected, and verified.
That is successful troubleshooting.