Anesthesia Machine Problems

1. The oxygen is on 2 L, the nitrous is on 2 L, the patient is on the ventilator, and the FiO2 reads 85%.

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Answer: Oxygen powers the bellows. There is a hole in the bellows and oxygen is entering the bellows, yielding a higher FiO2

2. The reservoir bag keeps collapsing despite high gas flows.

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Answer: The scavenging system is sucking too hard and pulling gases out of the circle system.

3. The reservoir bag keeps inflating despite low fresh gas flows.

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Answer: the scavenging system is clogged or the pop-off valve isn't working.

4. Oxygen flowmeter reads 5 L, N2O is 0 L, but the FiO2 reads 21%

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Answer: Pipeline crossover or wrong cylinder forced into the oxygen yoke. Probably air is being used rather than oxygen.

5. A cylinder is hanging crooked and hissing.

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Answer: The cylinder is improperly connected or the wrong cylinder is in the yoke.

6. The oxygen knob is turned off, but the flowmeter reads 5 L.

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Answer: There is dust in the flowmeter, making the bobbin stick.

7. The ventilator is cycling and no alarm is sounding, but the chest is not moving.

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Answer: The alarm has not been turned off. The ventilator hose is pressing against against the drapes, so the low-pressure alarm is not going off.

8. The ventilator belows does not fill.

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Answer: A disconnect somewhere in the system. If you look all over and can't find the site quickly, hand ventilate with an ambu bag and separate oxygen cylinder.

9. Oxygen flow is 5 L, nitrous flow is 5 L, FiO2 reads 26% and ventilator is cycling.

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Answer: Hanging bellows is drawing in room air from a partial disconnect in any part of the circuit.

10. Capnogram shows inspired CO2

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Answer: One-way valve malfunctions and causes rebreathing or else the CO2 absorber is exhausted. Channeling through the absorber may have thesame effect.