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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting WAVE timing assist issues caused by signal quality, catheter recognition, ECG/AP input, setup, or external connection problems.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Confirm whether the AutoCAT 2 WAVE is actively supporting a patient.
If WAVE timing assist is unreliable during active therapy, notify clinical staff immediately. Do not adjust cables, catheter connections, or trigger settings unless qualified clinical staff confirm it is safe.
Expected outcome: The patient remains supported while the timing assist issue is evaluated safely.
If the patient cannot safely remain on the current pump, clinical staff should transfer support to another verified IABP system.
Confirm the Reported WAVE Timing Problem
Verify the exact issue being reported:
- WAVE mode will not engage
- Timing assist appears delayed or inaccurate
- Trigger source changes unexpectedly
- Pump does not recognize the FiberOptix signal
- Poor augmentation while WAVE timing is selected
- Intermittent timing assist dropout
- WAVE option is unavailable or repeatedly alarms
Expected outcome: The issue is identified as a WAVE timing assist problem rather than a general ECG, arterial pressure, helium, or catheter issue.
Check for Proper Catheter and Sensor Recognition
Confirm that the connected catheter is compatible with WAVE timing assist and that the FiberOptix catheter/sensor connection is fully seated.
Inspect the catheter connector and sensor interface for loose seating, contamination, bent pins, damaged strain relief, or incomplete engagement.
Expected outcome: The pump recognizes the catheter and sensor connection without repeated recognition alarms.
If reseating the connector restores WAVE recognition and timing assist, stop and document the correction.
Verify the Catheter Connection Has Not Been Disturbed
Ask clinical staff whether the issue started after patient movement, transport, cable repositioning, catheter setup, or line management.
Gently check for tension, pulling, sharp bends, or kinks in the external catheter tubing and sensor cable path.
Expected outcome: The catheter and sensor connection are stable and not being pulled or intermittently disconnected.
If correcting strain or connector positioning restores stable WAVE timing, stop and document the finding.
Check ECG Signal Quality
Verify that the ECG waveform displayed on the AutoCAT 2 WAVE is clean, stable, and adequate for triggering.
Inspect ECG lead placement, electrodes, lead wires, trunk cable, and monitor interface cable if ECG is being used as a backup or reference signal.
Expected outcome: The ECG waveform is free of excessive artifact, baseline wander, lead-off conditions, or intermittent dropout.
Poor ECG quality can affect trigger stability and may make WAVE timing appear inconsistent.
Check Arterial Pressure Signal Quality
Confirm that the arterial pressure waveform is present, properly scaled, and clinically reasonable.
Have clinical staff verify the pressure transducer setup, leveling, zeroing, stopcock position, pressure bag inflation, tubing integrity, and waveform damping.
Expected outcome: The arterial pressure waveform is stable and usable for IABP timing reference.
If the AP waveform is damped, noisy, absent, or physiologically inconsistent, correct that external signal issue before suspecting the pump.
Confirm the Selected Trigger and Assist Settings
Review the selected trigger source, assist ratio, timing assist mode, and alarm messages with clinical staff.
Make sure the pump is not operating in a mode that prevents WAVE timing assist from functioning as expected.
Expected outcome: Trigger source and assist settings match the intended clinical setup.
If an incorrect setting is corrected and WAVE timing becomes stable, stop and document the change.
Inspect External Signal Cables and Interfaces
Check all external signal connections used by the pump, including ECG cable, AP input cable, monitor interface cable, and any bedside monitor connection.
Look for loose connectors, damaged cable jackets, bent pins, intermittent cable movement faults, or mismatched accessories.
Expected outcome: External signal cables are secure, undamaged, and appropriate for the AutoCAT 2 WAVE.
If swapping a suspect cable with a known-good compatible cable resolves the issue, stop and document the failed accessory.
Review Alarm Behavior and Timing Pattern
Observe whether the issue occurs:
- Immediately at startup
- Only after WAVE is selected
- Only during patient movement
- Only with a specific catheter
- Only with a specific ECG or AP cable
- Intermittently during pumping
- After transport or repositioning
Expected outcome: The failure pattern helps separate setup/accessory issues from a likely internal pump fault.
Test With Known-Good External Accessories When Safe
When the device is off the patient or when clinical staff confirm it is safe, test the pump with known-good compatible ECG/AP cables, interface cables, and catheter/sensor connections as appropriate.
Expected outcome: The issue either follows an accessory or remains with the pump.
If the problem follows a cable, connector, or catheter interface, replace the affected external item and document the result.
Restart and Recheck Only When Clinically Safe
If the pump is not in patient use, power-cycle the unit and allow it to complete startup checks.
Reconnect the appropriate external accessories and confirm whether WAVE timing assist becomes available and stable.
Expected outcome: The pump initializes normally and WAVE timing assist operates without repeated alarms.
If WAVE timing assist still fails after external causes are ruled out, remove the device from service.
If the Problem Persists
If WAVE timing assist still does not function properly after confirming catheter recognition, sensor connection, ECG/AP signal quality, trigger settings, cables, and external setup, the likely cause is internal or requires manufacturer-level evaluation.
The AutoCAT 2 WAVE should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation
Do not continue repeated bedside adjustments on a device with unreliable IABP timing assist. Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot WAVE timing assist aggressively on an active patient. If timing, augmentation, or trigger reliability is questionable, clinical staff should stabilize the patient, select a safe alternate support approach, or move the patient to another verified IABP before Clinical Engineering performs extended troubleshooting.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported that the Teleflex AutoCAT 2 WAVE would not maintain stable WAVE timing assist during IABP therapy."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"External troubleshooting found an intermittent FiberOptix catheter/sensor connection that caused WAVE recognition and timing assist dropout."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Reseated the catheter/sensor connection, relieved cable strain, verified stable WAVE recognition, and returned the pump to service after functional checks."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Whether the pump was in active patient use
- Exact WAVE timing assist alarm or message
- Whether WAVE mode was unavailable or unstable
- Catheter/sensor recognition status
- ECG waveform quality
- Arterial pressure waveform quality
- Trigger source selected
- Assist ratio at time of failure
- Cables inspected or swapped
- Whether the issue occurred after transport or patient movement
- Indicator lights or alarm behavior
- Any unusual sound, heat, smell, or physical damage
- Final device status
Final Thought
WAVE timing assist issues should be approached carefully because timing reliability directly affects patient support. Start with patient safety, then verify catheter recognition, signal quality, cables, and settings before suspecting an internal pump fault. Clear CCR documentation helps show what was tested, what was corrected, and why the device was either returned to service or escalated for repair.
That is successful troubleshooting.