Sponsored by Avante Health Solutions
By Jesse Perez
The Philips Medical EPIQ 5/EPIQ 7 ultrasound platform is one of the most widely used PC-based platforms in the ultrasound industry. The popularity of these systems has allowed me to provide on-site service and remote technical support for many common issues. Often, these problems don’t require a senior-level engineer to resolve, as they can be fixed without tools and completed by the end user or someone with minimal ultrasound experience. While this is just a small sample of common problems, my hope is to educate you with time and cost-saving information.
System Overheating
A common issue that my team and I receive on technical support calls is the “System Overheating” message. The Philips EPIQ platform utilizes a three-fan tray assembly at the bottom center of the system. The fan assembly is covered by a mesh fabric filter that captures anything and everything it can vacuum off the floor. This dust collection causes restricted airflow, which in turn makes the system overheat. Anytime there is an overheating issue on an EPIQ system, cleaning the filters should be your first step.
Start by shutting the system down and then removing the external filter. This filter is under the system at the bottom center and accessed using the handle mid-center. Using a soft brush or vacuum, remove the dust from the filter and replace it once complete. If the error message continues after cleaning the external filter, dust may be collecting in the fan tray assembly itself or may have blocked the vent holes inside the PC. Have a service engineer remove the cosmetic panels and clean the fan tray assembly and internal vent holes within the PC.
Upper Operator Console Not Locking in Place
Another common issue with the Philips EPIQ platform is the upper operator console not locking in place. Typically, the upper control arm fails to engage the solenoid lock, causing the arm to rotate 360 degrees, making it very difficult for the sonographer to transport the system from the ultrasound department to patient rooms throughout the hospital. The console arm requires the operator to press the center button located on the upper handle to move it back into place and lock it into position.
The cause of this failure can be found at the base of the control arm by removing the arm covers and solenoid cover, which are held in place by retention clips and require no tools to remove. Once the covers are removed, you will notice a small black plastic ring next to the solenoid lifted upward. Press it downward until it is snug against the frame. This will allow the solenoid to lock into place and resolve the failure. Applying a small amount of thread locker around the plastic ring may help keep it in place.
Remote Technical Support
Providing remote technical support is an important part of my job. I enjoy being able to help someone resolve an issue quickly over the phone, a scenario that has become easier over the past few years as more manufacturers have enabled systems to display error codes with a brief description of the fault on the main screen when an issue occurs. This information helps in diagnosing potential module failure and helps me provide a useful recommendation for the repair. Always try to capture these codes along with the software and hardware versions of the system in question to expedite the best possible technical support we can provide. Unfortunately, Philips is the only OEM that encrypts its error logs and reports. Otherwise, these logs and reports could be exported for analysis by qualified biomedical and service engineers, providing us with a clearer understanding of the failures that the machine is presenting.
Maintenance and Care
As with any ultrasound system or medical device, proper care and maintenance will lengthen the life cycle of your equipment. Regular maintenance is the responsibility of the end user and healthcare technology management (HTM) professional and includes proper disinfection of the control and operator panels, cleaning or replacing the filters, proper disinfection and storage of the transducers, leakage, and safety testing, and reporting any failures or errors with the equipment.
Jesse Perez is an Imaging Service Professional for Avante Health Solutions. For 24/7 Technical Support, call 800-958-9986 or visit avantehs.com/ultrasound.
