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What This Guide Helps With
Addresses abnormal image appearance caused by contamination, lighting, settings, cable problems, display adjustment, or imaging-component failure.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Patient and Confirm Adequate Visualization
Do not use the GlideScope if abnormal color, brightness, or contrast prevents reliable airway landmark identification. Provide another verified visualization method before troubleshooting.
Expected outcome: Airway care continues with a clear and dependable image.
2. Confirm the Exact Image Abnormality
Determine whether the image is too dark, washed out, unusually tinted, low contrast, oversaturated, or inconsistent as the device moves. Ask whether menus and text also appear abnormal.
Reproduce the complaint using a neutral nonpatient test scene under normal room lighting.
Expected outcome: The problem is separated into live-camera image, entire display, or environmental appearance.
3. Inspect and Clean the Camera Window
Check the optical window for residue, staining, moisture, haze, scratches, or dried disinfectant. Clean and dry it using approved methods.
Expected outcome: The optical window is clear and unobstructed. If normal color and brightness return, complete final verification and stop troubleshooting.
4. Check Ambient Lighting and Reflections
Test away from direct procedure lights, sunlight, colored surfaces, and strong reflections. Aim the camera at a neutral surface under ordinary room lighting.
Expected outcome: The image appears consistent in a controlled environment. A problem caused only by unusual lighting is distinguished from device failure.
5. Verify Display Brightness and User Settings
Review normal user-accessible display and image settings. Confirm brightness is not at an extreme and that an unintended user profile or display mode is not active.
Do not enter restricted service menus or change calibration values.
Expected outcome: User-accessible settings are appropriate and produce a usable image.
6. Compare Menus With the Live Image
Observe whether menu text, icons, and backgrounds have normal color and brightness. If menus appear normal while the live image is abnormal, focus on the camera, baton, handle, or video cable.
If the entire screen is abnormal, the monitor display path may be involved.
Expected outcome: The issue is isolated to the camera image or the complete display.
7. Inspect and Reseat the Video Connections
Power down when appropriate. Inspect the imaging component and video cable connectors for contamination, moisture, damage, or incomplete seating. Reconnect them securely.
Expected outcome: All connections are clean, dry, and fully seated. If image appearance returns to normal, complete final testing.
8. Substitute a Known-Good Imaging Component or Cable
Test with a known-good approved camera, video baton, handle, or cable one item at a time.
Expected outcome: The abnormal image follows one external component or remains with the monitor.
9. Compare With Another Verified Monitor
Connect the suspect imaging component to another compatible verified GlideScope monitor when available, or connect a known-good component to the suspect monitor.
Expected outcome: The comparison distinguishes an imaging-component problem from a display or monitor problem.
10. Perform Final Image Verification
Confirm normal color, brightness, contrast, orientation, and stability under ordinary room and procedure lighting. Verify display adjustment controls and normal movement.
Expected outcome: The image remains clear and clinically usable. The system may return to service only after all required checks pass.
If the Problem Persists
External contamination, lighting, user-accessible settings, video connections, cables, and interchangeable imaging components have been evaluated. The remaining cause may involve internal camera processing, display electronics, backlight, video input circuitry, software, or factory-level image calibration.
Remove the affected component or system from service, label it Out of Service, and send it for qualified repair or bench evaluation. Use manufacturer documentation and approved test equipment. Do not perform unauthorized white-balance, calibration, or service-menu adjustments.
Return-to-service testing must confirm accurate and stable image appearance in representative lighting. Stopping before unapproved calibration changes is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Judge image quality using recognizable airway landmarks and a verified backup device, not by brightness alone.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Clinical staff reported that the GlideScope live image appeared unusually blue and dim."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found moisture and cleaning residue on the external camera window."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering cleaned and fully dried the optical surface and verified normal image color, brightness, and stability."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Dark, washed out, tinted, or low-contrast image
- Whether menus also appeared abnormal
- Camera-window condition
- Ambient lighting
- Display settings observed
- Connector and cable condition
- Known-good component results
- Comparison-monitor results
- Image appearance after correction
- Final device status
Final Thought
Protect airway visualization, separate camera-image problems from display problems, verify cleaning, lighting, settings, and connections first, and escalate unresolved image-processing faults without unauthorized calibration.
That is successful troubleshooting.