LESSON 3
ISOLATE MALFUNCTIONS TO COMPONENT
LEVEL IN ANESTHESIA APPARATUS
3-1.
GENERAL
Maintaining the anesthesia apparatus in a safe operating condition is essential to
the safe administration of anesthetics. As a medical equipment repairer, your ability to
isolate the cause of a field anesthesia unit malfunction determines the availability of the
apparatus. In this lesson, you will review how to isolate causes for a variety of
malfunctions found when you performed PMCS or calibrated the anesthesia apparatus.
Refer to figure 3-1, Adult re-breathing circuit, and figure 3-2, Pediatric partial re-
breathing circuit, throughout this lesson.
3-2.
WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS
Whenever you are working on an anesthesia apparatus, remember that the
anesthesia apparatus employs combustible and explosive gases at high pressure.
Additionally, you must observe the following warnings and cautions.
WARNINGS
Never mix two or more agents in the vaporizer when filling or cleaning it.
This mixing could result in an unpredictable chemical reaction.
Always drain and dry the liquid agent from the vaporizer before adding
another agent.
Never drain liquid anesthetic into an unmarked container for storage.
Drain the anesthetic into a container labeled with the name of the agent,
or discard it immediately.
CAUTIONS:
Do not overtighten the absorber clamp screw. Overtightening could
cause the canisters to warp.
Do not obstruct the air vent in the knob of the cylinder valve. This
vent helps prevent a pump action from developing in the spring
sleeve when gas is flowing rapidly past the diaphragm.
Do not use organic based thread sealants on any portion on the
oxygen regulator. Use only Teflon thread-sealing tape or thread
compound.
MD0353
3-2