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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshoots unavailable air, insufflation, or water-feed functions caused by tubing, containers, accessories, connections, controls, consumables, or configuration.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Patient and Maintain the Required Clinical Function
Do not troubleshoot failed insufflation, airflow, or water-feed functions while the patient depends on the affected system.
Have the clinical team transition to an approved alternate method or system before technical evaluation.
Expected outcome: Patient care continues without relying on unreliable air or water delivery.
2. Identify Which Function Is Unavailable
Determine whether the problem involves:
- Airflow only.
- Insufflation only.
- Water feed only.
- Multiple functions.
- One endoscope only.
- One accessory or tubing setup only.
Record any displayed message or indicator status.
Expected outcome: The failed function and affected configuration are clearly identified.
3. Inspect External Tubing and Connections
Trace the external air or water pathway and inspect for:
- Disconnected tubing.
- Kinks.
- Pinching.
- Loose fittings.
- Cracked tubing.
- Incorrect routing.
- Improperly seated connectors.
Do not bypass valves or safety devices.
Expected outcome: The external tubing path is intact and correctly connected. If correcting a connection restores function, proceed to final verification.
4. Check Water Container and Consumables
Where applicable, confirm:
- The correct approved container is installed.
- Adequate fluid is present.
- Caps and tubing are properly fitted.
- Disposable accessories are correctly installed.
- Consumables are not visibly blocked, collapsed, or damaged.
Follow infection-control requirements when handling fluid pathways.
Expected outcome: Required consumables and fluid supplies are available and correctly assembled.
5. Verify User Controls
Confirm the relevant air, insufflation, or water-feed function is enabled using normal user-accessible controls.
Compare settings with a known working system if available.
Expected outcome: The required function is enabled and configured for normal use.
6. Inspect the Endoscope and Connected Accessories
Check whether the problem occurs only with one scope, valve, tubing set, bottle, pump accessory, or other external component.
Inspect for visible blockage, damage, incorrect assembly, or contamination without disassembling internal scope mechanisms.
Expected outcome: A defective or incorrectly assembled accessory is identified or ruled out.
7. Substitute Known-Good External Components
When safe and compatible, substitute a known-good scope, tubing set, water-feed accessory, or other external component one at a time.
Expected outcome: The problem follows one replaceable external component or remains with the main system.
8. Check for Shared System Dependencies
If all scopes and accessories show the same problem, verify associated system modules are powered, connected, recognized, and not reporting faults.
Expected outcome: Required external modules and system connections are available and functioning.
9. Perform Functional Testing Off-Patient
Test the affected function using an appropriate safe bench setup and approved accessories.
Do not direct air, water, or pressure toward a person during testing.
Expected outcome: Air, insufflation, or water-feed function operates consistently in the intended configuration.
10. Escalate if the Function Remains Unavailable
If known-good external tubing, consumables, accessories, and scopes do not restore the function, stop external troubleshooting.
Expected outcome: The affected processor, pump, or associated system component is removed from service for qualified evaluation.
If the Problem Persists
Common external tubing, container, consumable, accessory, control, scope, and connection causes have been ruled out. Remaining possibilities may involve internal pumps, valves, sensors, control electronics, software, configuration, or other service-level functions.
The affected equipment should be:
- Removed from service.
- Labeled Out of Service.
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation.
- Evaluated using appropriate Olympus documentation and approved test equipment.
- Repaired or configured only by qualified personnel.
Verify the complete air or water pathway after corrective action before return to service.
Clinical Use Tip
Confirm the full air or water pathway before the procedure begins; a processor that powers up normally does not guarantee these support functions are available.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Staff reported water feed was unavailable from the EVIS X1 setup during room preparation."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the external water-feed tubing was kinked between the container and connected accessory."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Corrected the tubing routing and verified consistent water-feed operation using an off-patient functional test."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Air, insufflation, or water function affected.
- Scope and accessories used.
- Tubing condition.
- Container and consumable status.
- Relevant control setting.
- Known-good substitution results.
- Associated module status.
- Functional test result.
- Final device status.
Final Thought
Start with the external fluid and air pathway, isolate accessories and consumables before assuming internal failure, protect the patient from unreliable support functions, and escalate with clear test results when necessary.
That is successful troubleshooting.