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What This Guide Helps With
Use this guide when a disinfection, rinse, or drain cycle stalls, aborts, or repeats because of supply, drain, connection, setup, or hydraulic problems.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Keep the Machine Out of Clinical Use
Do not place a dialysis machine into patient service when a required disinfection or rinse process has not completed successfully or when its status is uncertain.
If a cycle stops unexpectedly, preserve the displayed status and do not represent the machine as ready for use.
Expected outcome: The machine remains unavailable for patient treatment until processing status is verified.
2. Confirm Which Cycle Failed
Determine whether the failure occurred during disinfection, rinse, drain, or another cleaning-related stage. Record where the cycle stopped and any displayed message.
Ask whether the problem began after moving the machine, changing a chemical container, or altering the drain or water setup.
Expected outcome: The failed stage is clearly identified and documented.
3. Verify Water Supply
Inspect the external water connection for adequate supply, secure connection, leakage, or kinking. Determine whether other machines using the same supply are affected.
Expected outcome: A stable water supply is available. If restoring water supply allows the cycle to complete normally, proceed to final verification.
4. Inspect the Drain Hose and Drain Point
Check the drain hose for kinks, obstruction, compression, improper elevation, or poor positioning at the drain connection.
Ensure the drain location itself is not obviously blocked or backing up.
Expected outcome: Drainage is unrestricted. If correcting the drain path resolves the problem, troubleshooting can stop after a successful full cycle.
5. Verify Required Cleaning or Disinfection Supplies
Confirm any required approved solution is present, correctly connected, and sufficient for the selected process. Inspect pickup tubing and connectors for incomplete insertion, visible air entry, damage, or obstruction.
Do not substitute unapproved chemicals.
Expected outcome: Required supplies are available and properly connected.
6. Check External Hoses and Connections
Inspect accessible fluid hoses and connectors for leaks, loose fittings, collapsed sections, or incorrect routing that could interrupt filling, circulation, or draining.
Expected outcome: External fluid pathways are intact and correctly arranged.
7. Restart the Required Cycle Appropriately
After correcting an identified external issue, restart the required cycle according to normal facility and manufacturer procedures. Do not skip to clinical use because a partial cycle appeared to complete.
Expected outcome: The complete required cycle finishes without alarm or interruption.
8. Verify Completion and Readiness Status
Confirm the machine clearly indicates completion of the required process and is left in the appropriate status for subsequent preparation.
Check for leaks, residual messages, or abnormal operation.
Expected outcome: The complete cycle finishes successfully and the machine meets normal readiness requirements. Troubleshooting can stop.
If the Problem Persists
If water supply, drain routing, required solution, pickup connections, and external hoses have been verified and the cycle still will not complete, the cause may involve an internal hydraulic valve, pump, sensor, heater, flow path, control function, or process-monitoring subsystem.
The device should be:
- Removed from service.
- Labeled Out of Service.
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation.
- Evaluated using Fresenius Medical Care service documentation and approved test equipment.
- Repaired or configured only by qualified personnel.
- Required to successfully complete applicable disinfection, rinse, drain, and functional verification before return to service.
Stopping after repeated unexplained cycle failures is appropriate troubleshooting and protects infection-control processes.
Clinical Use Tip
A machine that has not successfully completed its required processing cycle should never be assumed ready simply because it powers on and appears otherwise functional.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Dialysis staff reported the 5008S CorDiax repeatedly stopped before completing the rinse and drain cycle."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the drain hose compressed between the machine and wall, restricting flow."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"The drain hose was repositioned, the complete cycle finished normally, and machine readiness was verified before return to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact cycle that failed.
- Stage where the cycle stopped.
- Displayed message.
- Water supply condition.
- Drain hose and drain condition.
- Cleaning or disinfection supply condition.
- Pickup tubing and connectors.
- Visible leaks.
- Results of the completed repeat cycle.
- Final device status.
Final Thought
Cleaning-cycle failures should be treated as both equipment and infection-control concerns: verify supply and drainage first, require a complete successful cycle, and escalate persistent hydraulic or control problems.
That is successful troubleshooting.