Signs You Need to Repair or Replace Your Ultrasound Probes

Every now and then, ultrasound probes can get damaged and need repairs (or, if the damage is significant enough, necessitate replacement). Damaged probes can be dangerous for techs and patients alike, and can lead to improper diagnoses.

Here are a few of the most common issues that arise with ultrasound probes that could indicate you need to call for medical equipment repair in Lubbock, TX:

• Lines showing up on the screen: If you have black lines that appear in the image, this isn’t normal. These lines occur when one of the piezoelectric crystals stops sending or receiving signals. If the problem gets significant enough, this could impact a diagnosis.
• Cable sheath damage: If your cables have small cuts or tears on them, this could be a sign that you need to repair or replace your probes. The problem might seem insignificant at first, as the cord isn’t as critical of a component of the machine as some other parts. However, if the damage is significant enough, it can create risk of electrocution to patients or staff. This kind of damage most frequently occurs when equipment gets regularly wheeled over the top of the cords, so make sure you keep cords out of the way and protect them.
• Patches of light or darkness: This issue, often referred to as “dropout,” occurs when lighter or darker areas appear on the screen. It’s typically caused by a lens that’s begun to detach, but can also be caused by electronic failures, cable damage or damage to the acoustic array. Unfortunately, this problem will only worsen with time, so it’s important to address the issue early on.
• Leaking probes: The 3D and 4D probes tend to have very soft shells, so leakage can be an issue. You’ll know it’s a problem if you see a wave when you turn up the probe all the way while facing it down and then turn it up quickly. This means the oil inside the probe is shifting.
• Membrane cracks: The membrane in the probes is soft, but is designed to be as durable as possible given this softness. Still, it is not immune to damage, and over periods of frequent and prolonged use it will begin to wear down. Fortunately, fixing cracked membranes is a relatively simple repair job, but you should not delay making the adjustment or the problems will get worse.
• Strain relief cracks: Cracked strain reliefs can occur right at the spot where the cable and probe attach to each other, as well as at the traducer connector. This is a pretty easy issue to notice, as the separation will be clear to anyone who looks at it. This is another issue you should repair immediately, as it causes exposure to some of the sensitive parts inside. If those inner parts get damaged, the repairs become more costly.

For more information about when you should seek medical equipment repair in Lubbock, TX for your ultrasound probes, contact Stat Biomedical Inc. today.

Categorised in: Medical Equipment Repair

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