#TechTipTuesday Feb. 2, 2021: Ultrasound TEE Probes
February 1, 2021
By Kaylee McCaffrey, Biomedical Engineering Solutions Sales Specialist
It’s #TechTipTuesday! Welcome to our weekly series where we ask members of the biomedical community about their tips and recommendations for maintaining medical equipment. This week we’re asking, “What tips do you have when it comes to ultrasound probes?”
Why It’s Important to Visually Inspect TEE Probes Before Every Use
This week, we asked J.T. Bailey, Probe Repair Manager for Med Vest Technology, for his tips on preventing costly ultrasound probe replacement. Read his tips below:
In regards to TEE probes, it is important to visually inspect before every use and disinfection but make sure to pay close attention to the bending neck rubber (BNR). This is not only from a patient safety perspective but could also be a small step to save thousands in repair or replacement costs.
The BNR on TEE probes enable the flexibility to articulate but are also the weakest link in the chain so to speak. All it takes is a small pinhole to allow fluid to enter the probe and cause severe internal damage. On models with advanced matrix array technology, this could prove to be particularly costly.
What could otherwise be a low-cost repair, if caught early, could now be a much more expensive repair or replacement if damage is catastrophic.
Share Your Own Tips on LinkedIn!
Huge thanks for J.T. for giving us today’s tips on ultrasound transducers! Want to join the conversation and add your own tips? Be sure to follow me on LinkedIn and comment on today’s #TechTipTuesday post. See you next time!
