The defibrillation monitor has more functions than ordinary monitors, so the problems encountered in the use and maintenance are correspondingly increased. Some are caused by the software and hardware of the device itself, and some are caused by improper operation. The main problems and solutions are:
1. Monitor or recorder problem
Phenomenon: Another common problem with defibrillation monitors is that the monitor only displays a straight line without ECG display.
Judgment and maintenance: There are many reasons for this situation, one is that the electrode is in poor contact with the human body or falls off; the other is the improper setting of the ECG threshold; the third is that there is a break in the lead wire; the fourth is the circuit failure of the monitor itself, and so on. If there is no ECG display, and the ECG waveform cannot be recorded, the fault is mostly caused by the signal calculation circuit or caused by human operation, or the recorder itself may also be faulty; if there is no ECG display but the ECG waveform can be recorded, it is mostly a display circuit failure , And it is a non-human operation fault, which needs to be solved by engineering and technical personnel.
2. Low-voltage power supply (or battery) problem
Most defibrillation monitors are AC and DC dual-purpose. When AC power is used, the internal circuit of the machine is automatically converted to AC/DC function, and the battery is charged at the same time. When there is no AC power supply or when going out for first aid, battery power can be used. The battery capacity is different, the monitoring time or the number of defibrillation is different, the general user manual has clear instructions.
Phenomenon: The main function does not respond after power on (for example: the monitor is black, cannot defibrillate, cannot record).
Judgment and maintenance: The above phenomena are mostly low-voltage power supply problems. If the battery can still work, it is usually an AC/DC circuit problem. If AC power can be used but the battery cannot be used, it may be that the battery is under-charged or has failed. Some defibrillation monitors can only use batteries, and this battery has a capacity indicator, so the operator can easily determine the battery capacity. The problem of low-voltage power supply itself cannot be ruled out by medical staff and can only be repaired by engineering and technical personnel.
3. The problem of the signal processing arithmetic unit (motherboard)
Phenomenon: In the process of use, it encounters dysfunction, the keys do not work, and the parameters cannot be set or changed.
Judgment and maintenance: This situation is mostly a failure of the central control unit (also known as the main board or motherboard), and most of it is a hard failure. It's helpless for medical staff, and sometimes it's helpless for engineers and technicians. Because the main board is mainly composed of large-scale integrated circuits and SMD components, it is generally not repairable and can only be replaced with the company or manufacturer.
4. Defibrillation unit problem
Phenomenon: The monitoring function and recording function are normal, but the defibrillation cannot be performed, or the charging-shock cycle speed is very slow.
Judgment and maintenance: This phenomenon is generally not caused by human operation, but is a fault in the high-voltage charging and discharging circuit or the energy storage component itself. If the electric shock is normal, but the charging speed is slow, the charging circuit is mostly faulty; if the electric shock can be charged but the electric shock cannot be applied, the discharge circuit has a problem. The chance of damage to energy storage components (high-voltage capacitors) is rare.
5. Electromagnetic interference issues
Phenomenon: The screen display waveform is disordered, characters jitter, etc.
Judgment and maintenance: The defibrillation monitor itself has taken shielding measures and has a certain anti-interference ability. However, high-frequency medical equipment, cellular phones, information technology equipment, and radio/TV transmission systems sometimes affect the monitoring and defibrillation functions of the equipment. At this time, it is necessary to determine the source of the interference as soon as possible and take corresponding measures to ensure the normal use of the equipment.
