Table 2.

Routine maintenance for anesthesia equipment safety

Equipment	Routine maintenance
Breathing circuits	Leak test prior to each anesthetic Cleaning * : wash in warm water between patients; hang to air dry
Endotracheal tubes (ETTs)	Leak test ETT cuff prior to each use Cleaning * : Thoroughly clean inside ETT using bottle brush and warm water Discard if patient has respiratory disease
CO2 absorbents	Replace granules (granules become dry due to CO2 absorption from patients and exposure to air) † : Single canisters – after every 8 h of use A system for recording hours and date(s) of use (eg, a tag attached to the canister) should be in place
Anesthesia machine	Clean as needed; replace O-rings and tubing yearly
Vaporizer	Output test: according to the manufacturer’s recommendations Full service: clean inside, perform high-pressure leak test, replace parts, and recalibrate every 3 years (requires outside maintenance service)

^*Disinfectants such as Virkon (DuPont), chlorhexidine and accelerated hydrogen peroxide are often used; the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution, contact time and rinsing must be strictly adhered to

^†The need to change CO₂ absorbents is highly variable and depends on several factors including, but not limited to, the size of the canister, oxygen flow rates and humidity. If end-tidal CO₂ is being monitored, exhaustion of the absorbent can be tracked (one cause of a rise in inspired CO₂ levels is exhausted CO₂ absorbents)