#TechTipTuesday Feb. 9, 2021: Ultrasound Systems

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 systems?” 

How to Prevent Unnecessary Damage on Philips Epiq & Affiniti Acquisition Modules 

This week, we asked Chris Parker, Repair Operations Manager for Med Vest Technology, for his tips on preventing costly ultrasound probe replacement. Read his tips below: 

There is a common trend that we have been seeing more and more of lately. We receive numerous core acquisition modules with a damaged transducer port or ports. I believe that proper education in handling the probes on these systems can really help to save in the cost of ownership. There are some basic preventative measures that can be taken to prevent damage and prolong the life of this module. As you will see below, I will show the typical damage we see and how to prevent this. 

1) Here is what a damaged port looks like. Typically what happens is either the probe connector has bent bents and causes this damage, or the probe is removed improperly while still in the locked position. 

2) Here is how the port should look (free of damage). Always inspect the ports before connecting any probes. 

3) This is what a good probe connector should look like. This is free of any bent pins or visual damage. It should be a good practice to inspect any probe connector for damage before connecting to the system. This is the first way to prevent damage. 

4) Here is how the probe looks when it is in the unlocked position on the system (Latch is pointed to the right). In this state it is SAFE to remove the probe. 

5) This is how the probe looks when it is locked on to the system (Latch is pointed straight out).  Many times someone will forget to pull the latch to the right (unlock the probe) and remove the probe from the system. This is typically the main cause of the damage you saw above. This is very preventable and training the clinical staff on how to properly connect and disconnect the probes properly will save on unnecessary costs.

Share Your Own Tips on LinkedIn! 

Huge thanks to Chris 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!