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What This Guide Helps With
Addresses inadequate airflow or turbine/blower symptoms caused by circuit restriction, filters, power, external airflow obstruction, accessories, or service-level faults.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Patient Immediately
If the ventilator cannot reliably provide required flow or pressure, transfer the patient to another verified ventilator or appropriate alternate ventilation method. Expected outcome: Patient ventilation is maintained independently of the affected Servo-air Lite.
2. Confirm the Reported Condition
Test the ventilator with an appropriate test load and determine whether the complaint is insufficient flow, delayed pressure development, abnormal turbine sound, startup failure, or another blower-related symptom. Expected outcome: The condition is reproduced under controlled conditions.
3. Verify Stable Power
Connect to a known-good AC source and verify normal power indications. Inspect the cord and plug externally. Expected outcome: Stable electrical power is available to the ventilator.
4. Inspect the Breathing Circuit
Check for kinked tubing, water accumulation, occluded connectors, blocked filters, pinched hoses, incorrect assembly, or obstructed humidification components. Expected outcome: The patient circuit is unrestricted. If normal flow returns after correcting an obstruction, troubleshooting can stop after functional verification.
5. Inspect External Air Paths
Check externally accessible intake areas and approved external filters for blockage or contamination. Ensure blankets, packaging, walls, or other equipment are not obstructing airflow around the ventilator. Expected outcome: Air intake and ventilation openings are clear.
6. Simplify the Test Configuration
Use a known-good compatible circuit and test lung without unnecessary inline accessories. Expected outcome: Ventilation is normal in the simplified configuration. Reintroduce external accessories individually if necessary.
7. Substitute Suspect External Components
Replace suspect tubing, filters, or circuit accessories with known-good compatible items. Expected outcome: Normal flow returns when the defective external component is removed.
8. Observe Turbine Operation
Listen for abnormal mechanical sound and observe whether flow and pressure are stable. Do not open the ventilator or access internal turbine components. Expected outcome: Turbine operation sounds and behaves normally during testing.
9. Perform Performance Verification
Use approved ventilator test equipment when quantitative verification is required and complete the required pre-use check. Expected outcome: Ventilation performance meets applicable acceptance criteria. Troubleshooting can stop.
10. Escalate Persistent Turbine or Flow Problems
If flow remains inadequate with a known-good unrestricted circuit and stable power, or abnormal turbine noise persists, stop external troubleshooting. Expected outcome: The ventilator remains out of service for qualified service evaluation.
If the Problem Persists
External restrictions, accessories, power, and environmental causes have been ruled out. The remaining issue may involve the internal turbine/blower, pneumatic control, sensing, electronics, power delivery, or calibration. Remove the ventilator from service, label it Out of Service, and send it for bench evaluation using appropriate Getinge service documentation and approved ventilator test equipment. Complete ventilation, alarm, performance, and pre-use testing after repair. Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not use a ventilator for patient care when turbine performance is intermittent, even if the device temporarily passes a basic test.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Respiratory Therapy reported low airflow from the Servo-air Lite during setup."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found a blocked external circuit filter restricting flow."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering replaced the filter, verified normal flow and pressure delivery with a test lung, completed the pre-use check, and returned the ventilator to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Reported flow symptom
- Displayed message
- AC power status
- Filter condition
- Circuit restriction found
- External air-path condition
- Known-good component result
- Abnormal sound or heat
- Performance test result
- Final status
Final Thought
Maintain reliable ventilation first, eliminate external resistance and airflow restrictions methodically, verify performance objectively, and escalate unresolved turbine or flow problems. That is successful troubleshooting.