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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshoot fluidics faults caused by waste conditions, consumables, tubing position, leaks, obstructions, installation, or other externally accessible causes.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect Patient Testing and Confirm the Fluidics Fault
Do not continue patient testing when the analyzer reports a fluidics condition that may affect sample processing, washing, or contamination control. Redirect testing to another verified analyzer as needed.
Record the exact displayed fault and whether it involves wash, waste, drainage, reagent flow, or another fluid-related condition.
Expected outcome: The fluidics problem is clearly identified and the analyzer is not used until reliable operation is confirmed.
2. Inspect for Leaks or Biohazard Conditions
Check around the analyzer and accessible fluid components for leakage, wet surfaces, cracked containers, loose connections, or overflowing waste.
Use appropriate PPE and facility biohazard procedures. If uncontrolled leakage is present, remove the analyzer from service.
Expected outcome: No unsafe leak or spill condition remains. Significant leakage results in immediate escalation rather than continued troubleshooting.
3. Verify Waste Status
Inspect the externally accessible waste container or waste connection, as applicable, for fullness, improper installation, kinks, blockage, loose fittings, or incorrect positioning.
Handle waste as potentially biohazardous.
Expected outcome: Waste can flow through its intended external path and the associated container or connection is correctly installed. If correcting the waste condition clears the fault, verify normal operation.
4. Verify Wash and Fluid Consumables
Confirm wash, reagent, or other required fluid consumables are present, recognized, correctly seated, and not obviously empty, damaged, expired, or improperly connected.
Expected outcome: Required fluid consumables are installed correctly and available to the analyzer. If reseating or replacing a consumable clears the fault, continue to verification.
5. Inspect Accessible Tubing and Connections
Check only externally accessible tubing and fluid connections for kinks, pinching, disconnection, air gaps caused by a loose connection, or improper routing.
Do not open internal fluidics assemblies or disconnect components not intended for routine access.
Expected outcome: External tubing and connections are intact, secure, and unrestricted.
6. Check for Contamination or Obstruction at Accessible Interfaces
Inspect user-accessible interfaces for dried material, residue, or contamination that could prevent proper seating or drainage. Clean using approved procedures.
Expected outcome: Accessible interfaces are clean and properly connected. If the fluidics fault clears, perform required verification.
7. Allow the Analyzer to Resume Its Normal Fluidics Process
After correcting a clear external cause, allow the analyzer to complete its normal wash, priming, readiness, or recovery process as designed.
Do not repeatedly initiate recovery processes without correcting the underlying condition.
Expected outcome: The analyzer completes the fluidics-related process without recurrence and returns to ready status.
8. Perform Final Functional Verification
Confirm there are no leaks, recurring fluidics faults, unusual sounds, or unresolved consumable conditions. Complete required QC before patient testing.
Expected outcome: Fluidics operation is stable, required QC passes, and the analyzer may return to service.
If the Problem Persists
Waste, consumables, accessible tubing, connections, and obvious contamination or installation problems have been ruled out. Persistent faults may involve internal pumps, valves, sensors, tubing, waste detection, pressure control, or other service-level fluidics components.
The analyzer should be:
- Removed from service.
- Labeled Out of Service.
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation.
- Evaluated using appropriate Radiometer documentation and approved test equipment.
- Repaired or configured only by qualified personnel.
Do not disassemble internal fluidics or bypass fluid-level, waste, or leak-detection functions. After repair, verify fluid integrity, analyzer operation, and required QC before release.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting and escalate is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Treat any analyzer fluid leak as potentially biohazardous and keep patient testing off the affected analyzer until the fluid path is secure and performance is verified.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Laboratory staff reported a recurring waste-system fault on the Radiometer ABL90 FLEX PLUS."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the externally accessible waste tubing was kinked behind the analyzer and restricting drainage."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering corrected the tubing position, verified the fault cleared with no leakage, completed required QC, and returned the analyzer to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact fluidics message
- Whether wash, waste, or another fluid path was affected
- Evidence of leakage
- Waste container or drain condition
- Consumable status
- External tubing condition
- Loose or kinked connections
- Contamination found
- Recovery process result
- QC result after correction
- Final device status
Final Thought
Fluidics troubleshooting begins with containment and external flow-path checks, not internal disassembly. Verify waste, consumables, tubing, connections, and leaks first, then escalate persistent faults and document successful analytical verification.
That is successful troubleshooting.