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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshoot blood leak detector alarms or test failures caused by disposable setup, contamination, bubbles, fluid conditions, or detector-area problems before escalation.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Patient
Treat a blood leak alarm during dialysis as clinically significant until a true blood leak has been excluded through the appropriate clinical process. Do not continue treatment based solely on an assumption that the detector is faulty.
If the alarm occurs during treatment, clinical staff must manage the patient and extracorporeal circuit according to facility procedure before Clinical Engineering troubleshooting begins.
Expected outcome: The patient and blood circuit are managed safely, and technical troubleshooting occurs only after the device is removed from active patient dependence.
2. Confirm the Exact Complaint
Determine whether the problem is:
- A blood leak alarm during treatment
- A detector test that will not pass
- A repeated alarm during preparation
- An intermittent alarm
- A problem associated with one disposable setup
Record the exact displayed message and timing.
Expected outcome: The detector issue is clearly characterized.
3. Inspect the Disposable Fluid Path
With the system safely off patient, inspect the relevant disposable fluid path for:
- Incorrect installation
- Kinks
- Poor seating
- Abnormal fluid appearance
- Air or foam
- Visible contamination
- Damage
Do not reuse a questionable disposable simply to test the machine.
Expected outcome: The disposable pathway is installed correctly and appears normal. If correcting installation resolves the detector test, troubleshooting can stop after verification.
4. Inspect the Accessible Detector Area
Inspect the externally accessible detector area for contamination, moisture, residue, discoloration, or an improperly seated disposable segment.
Clean only according to approved cleaning procedures. Do not insert tools or disassemble the detector.
Expected outcome: The detector area is clean, dry, unobstructed, and the disposable is correctly positioned.
5. Check for Air, Foam, or Abnormal Fluid Conditions
Air, foam, or unusual fluid conditions may interfere with optical sensing. Confirm the normal preparation sequence has completed and that the fluid path does not contain an obvious abnormality.
Expected outcome: The fluid presented to the detector is appropriate for the normal detector test.
6. Substitute a Known-Good Disposable When Appropriate
If the installed disposable is suspect, replace it with a new approved disposable according to facility practice and repeat setup.
Change only one variable at a time.
Expected outcome: The blood leak detector test passes with the replacement disposable if the original setup caused the problem.
7. Repeat the Normal Detector Test
Run only the normal user-accessible preparation or detector verification sequence.
Do not bypass, disable, recalibrate, or alter detector thresholds through unauthorized menus.
Expected outcome: The detector test passes and no alarm recurs. If successful, continue to final functional verification.
8. Check for Recurrence
Allow the machine to complete the relevant preparation process and verify that the detector remains stable.
Expected outcome: No repeated blood leak detector warning or failed test occurs.
9. Perform Final Functional Verification
Confirm all normal pre-treatment checks complete successfully and there is no unresolved blood leak detector condition.
Expected outcome: The Tablo passes its required preparation checks and is ready for service according to facility procedure. Troubleshooting can stop.
10. Escalate Repeated Detector Failure
If the detector area is clean, the disposable is correct, and the test repeatedly fails, stop external troubleshooting.
Expected outcome: The machine is removed from service for qualified evaluation of the detector or associated internal systems.
If the Problem Persists
Common external disposable, positioning, contamination, air, and fluid-condition causes have been ruled out. A persistent problem may involve optical sensing, detector electronics, calibration, internal fluid conditions, or related service-level systems.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation
- Evaluated using appropriate Outset Medical documentation and approved test equipment
- Repaired or calibrated only by qualified personnel
The blood leak detection function and applicable dialysis safety tests must be verified before return to service. Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Never dismiss a blood leak alarm as a sensor problem until the clinical team has safely ruled out an actual blood leak.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Staff reported the Tablo repeatedly failed the blood leak detector check during setup."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found residue on the accessible detector area preventing reliable optical sensing."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Cleaned and dried the detector area using the approved procedure, installed the disposable correctly, repeated setup successfully, and verified the detector test passed before return to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact blood leak alarm or message
- During setup or treatment
- Disposable condition
- Detector-area condition
- Presence of air or foam
- Visible fluid abnormality
- Known-good disposable substitution
- Cleaning performed
- Detector-test result after correction
- Final device status
Final Thought
Blood leak alarms protect the patient and must never be casually bypassed. First exclude true clinical danger, then inspect the disposable and accessible detector area before suspecting internal failure. Verify the safety function after correction, escalate repeated failures, and document the event clearly.
That is successful troubleshooting.