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Asset Type
Manufacturer
Model
HemoSphere Advanced Monitoring System
What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting missing, dampened, inaccurate, or unreliable invasive pressure waveforms caused by setup, cable, sensor, leveling, zeroing, or connection issues.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Do not troubleshoot the pressure monitoring setup on an unstable patient unless clinical staff confirms it is safe.
Action:
- Confirm whether the pressure value is being used for active patient management.
- Have clinical staff verify the patient’s condition using another approved method if the pressure reading is questionable.
- If the waveform is absent or inaccurate during active use, have staff move monitoring to another working setup if needed.
- Do not disconnect invasive lines unless clinical staff is present and responsible for the line.
Expected outcome: Patient care continues safely while the equipment issue is isolated.
Why it matters: An inaccurate arterial, CVP, or PA pressure waveform can affect clinical decisions.
Verify the Reported Symptom
Confirm whether the issue is a total loss of waveform, dampened waveform, incorrect numeric value, or intermittent dropout.
Action:
- Observe the HemoSphere display.
- Confirm which pressure is affected: ART, CVP, PAP, or another invasive pressure channel.
- Ask when the issue began: during setup, after patient movement, after line change, after cable movement, after zeroing, or after transport.
- Check whether the waveform is flat, noisy, dampened, drifting, or present with incorrect numbers.
Expected outcome: The failure mode is clearly identified before parts are swapped.
Check the Pressure Cable Connection
The HemoSphere system uses pressure cable and sensor/transducer connections for invasive pressure monitoring, so loose or incorrect cable connections can cause missing or unreliable values. Edwards setup material references connecting the HemoSphere pressure cable, sensor/transducer, leveling, and zeroing as part of pressure monitoring setup.
Action:
- Confirm the HemoSphere pressure cable is fully seated at the monitor.
- Inspect the cable connector for bent pins, fluid contamination, cracked housing, or loose fit.
- Confirm the sensor/transducer connector is fully seated into the pressure cable.
- If available, try another known-good HemoSphere pressure cable.
Expected outcome: The pressure channel detects the cable and sensor properly.
If the waveform returns after reseating or replacing the cable, document the connection or cable issue and stop.
Check the Disposable Pressure Sensor or Transducer
A failed, expired, damaged, wet, or incorrectly connected disposable sensor can cause no waveform or inaccurate readings.
Action:
- Confirm the correct Edwards-compatible pressure sensor/transducer is being used.
- Inspect the sensor connector for fluid, damage, or poor fit.
- Confirm the sensor is not expired or visibly damaged.
- Verify the sensor is connected to the correct pressure cable and patient monitoring setup.
- If the sensor is suspected, have clinical staff replace it using hospital policy.
Expected outcome: A known-good sensor provides a stable pressure signal.
Verify Tubing, Stopcocks, and Line Setup
Dampened or inaccurate invasive pressure waveforms are commonly caused by line setup issues rather than monitor failure.
Action:
- Confirm all tubing connections are tight.
- Check for air bubbles in the tubing or stopcocks.
- Confirm the stopcock position is correct for monitoring.
- Look for kinked, compressed, clotted, or excessively long tubing.
- Confirm the line is not partially disconnected or leaking.
- Have clinical staff flush or correct the line setup per hospital policy.
Expected outcome: The waveform becomes sharper, more responsive, and clinically believable.
If the waveform improves after correcting tubing, stopcock, or bubble issues, document the external cause and stop.
Verify Pressure Bag and Flush System
For fluid-filled invasive pressure monitoring, an underinflated pressure bag or restricted flush setup can cause dampened waveforms.
Action:
- Confirm the flush bag is pressurized to the expected clinical setup level, commonly 300 mmHg when used with compatible arterial pressure monitoring setups.
- Check that the drip chamber and flush system are not empty, blocked, or leaking.
- Confirm clinical staff can perform an appropriate flush response if needed.
- Do not manipulate invasive pressure lines without clinical staff involvement.
Expected outcome: The system maintains proper dynamic response and waveform quality.
Check Sensor Leveling
Incorrect leveling can cause inaccurate pressure values even when the waveform shape appears normal.
Action:
- Confirm the sensor/transducer is leveled to the correct anatomical reference point, typically the phlebostatic axis for invasive hemodynamic pressure monitoring.
- Check whether the bed height, patient position, or transducer holder was moved.
- Re-level the sensor with clinical staff if needed.
Expected outcome: The numeric pressure value becomes more accurate after proper leveling.
Why it matters: A waveform can look present but still display the wrong pressure if the transducer is not level.
Check Zeroing
An unzeroed or incorrectly zeroed pressure channel can create inaccurate values or misleading baseline pressure.
Action:
- Confirm the pressure channel was zeroed after setup.
- Verify the stopcock was opened to air during zeroing, if applicable.
- Confirm the monitor shows the channel as zeroed with current date/time if available.
- Re-zero the pressure channel with clinical staff using hospital policy.
Expected outcome: The waveform baseline and numeric pressure are corrected.
If the issue resolves after proper zeroing, document the zeroing issue and stop.
Check Pressure Type and Channel Assignment
Wrong pressure type selection or channel assignment can cause confusion, incorrect labeling, or incorrect interpretation.
Action:
- Confirm the pressure source is assigned to the correct parameter type, such as ART, CVP, or PAP.
- Verify the displayed pressure label matches the actual line connected.
- Confirm the waveform color, label, and patient monitor routing match the intended pressure source.
- Correct the pressure type or channel assignment if it was misconfigured.
Expected outcome: The displayed waveform and numeric value match the connected invasive pressure source.
Compare Against Another Monitor or Known-Good Setup
Use substitution to separate monitor/cable failure from patient line or disposable setup issues.
Action:
- If available, connect the pressure setup to another compatible monitor or known-good HemoSphere setup.
- Or connect a known-good pressure cable and sensor setup to the suspect HemoSphere monitor.
- Compare whether the problem follows the cable/sensor/setup or stays with the monitor.
Expected outcome: The likely failed component is identified without internal disassembly.
Check for Display, Freeze, or Software Behavior
If the waveform appears frozen, delayed, or intermittently missing, the issue may not be the pressure line itself.
Action:
- Confirm the monitor is not in monitoring pause or a setup screen that prevents normal waveform display.
- Check whether other parameters are updating normally.
- Restart the monitor only if it is safe and not actively needed for patient care.
- Confirm whether the issue returns after restart.
Expected outcome: Temporary display or software-related behavior is ruled out.
Inspect for Physical Damage or Fluid Intrusion
Hemodynamic monitoring equipment is used around fluids, pressure bags, and invasive line setups.
Action:
- Inspect the monitor, pressure cable, and connectors for fluid exposure.
- Check for cracked connectors, damaged cable strain relief, bent pins, or sticky residue.
- Remove damaged or contaminated accessories from service.
- Do not continue using a cable or monitor with suspected fluid intrusion.
Expected outcome: Unsafe or unreliable accessories are removed before further patient use.
If the Problem Persists
If the invasive pressure waveform remains absent, dampened, inaccurate, intermittent, or unreliable after external setup, cable, sensor, leveling, zeroing, and configuration checks have been completed, the issue may involve an internal monitor fault, pressure cable electronics issue, input port failure, or software-related problem.
The device should be removed from service, labeled Out of Service, sent for repair or bench evaluation, and tested with known-good pressure cables and compatible pressure simulation equipment if available.
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Do not keep troubleshooting invasive pressure monitoring on an active patient when the reading cannot be trusted.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot an invasive pressure waveform on an active patient unless clinical staff confirms it is safe. If the pressure value is clinically important, move the patient to a reliable monitoring setup first, then evaluate the HemoSphere system separately. This helps protect therapy continuity and avoids clinical decisions based on an untrusted pressure value.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported the HemoSphere monitor had no arterial pressure waveform and displayed unreliable invasive pressure values during setup."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Found the pressure transducer cable connection loose at the HemoSphere pressure cable, causing intermittent waveform detection."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Reseated the pressure cable connection, verified stable invasive pressure waveform with clinical staff, confirmed proper leveling and zeroing, and returned the monitor to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Pressure type affected: ART, CVP, PAP, or other
- Whether waveform was absent, dampened, noisy, drifting, or flat
- Whether numeric pressure was missing or inaccurate
- Pressure cable inspected or swapped
- Disposable sensor/transducer replaced
- Tubing, stopcocks, and air bubbles checked
- Pressure bag status verified
- Sensor leveling verified
- Channel zeroing verified
- Pressure label/channel assignment checked
- Any error messages or detection issues
- Whether issue followed cable/sensor or stayed with monitor
- Environmental factors
- Indicator lights
- Final device status
Final Thought
Invasive pressure troubleshooting should stay patient-safety focused and logical. Start with the line, sensor, cable, leveling, zeroing, and setup before suspecting the monitor. If the pressure signal cannot be trusted after basic checks, remove the device from service and document the complaint, cause, and resolution clearly.
That is successful troubleshooting.