Top 10 Hazards ECRI

EXECUTIVE BRIEF
Top 10 Health
Technology
Hazards for
2017
A Report from Health Devices
November 2016
EXECUTIVE BRIEF
Top 10 Health
Technology
Hazards for
2017
A Report from Health Devices
November 2016
Top 10 Health Technology
Hazards for 2017
Executive Brief
ECRI Institute is providing this abridged version of its 2017 Top 10 list of health technology hazards as a free public service to
inform healthcare facilities about important safety issues involving the use of medical devices and systems. The full report—
including detailed problem descriptions and ECRI Institute’s step-by-step recommendations for addressing the hazards—is
available to members of certain ECRI Institute programs through their membership web pages.
The List for 2017

1. Infusion Errors Can Be Deadly If Simple Safety Steps Are Overlooked
2. Inadequate Cleaning of Complex Reusable Instruments Can Lead to Infections
3. Missed Ventilator Alarms Can Lead to Patient Harm
4. Undetected Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression
5. Infection Risks with Heater-Cooler Devices Used in Cardiothoracic Surgery
6. Software Management Gaps Put Patients, and Patient Data, at Risk
7. Occupational Radiation Hazards in Hybrid ORs
8. Automated Dispensing Cabinet Setup and Use Errors May Cause Medication Mishaps
9. Surgical Stapler Misuse and Malfunctions
10. Device Failures Caused by Cleaning Products and Practices
The Purpose of the List

The safe use of health technology—from basic infusion pumps to large, complex imaging systems—requires identifying possible
sources of danger or difficulty with those technologies and taking steps to minimize the likelihood that adverse events will occur.
This list will help healthcare facilities do that.
Produced each year by ECRI Institute’s Health Devices Group, the Top 10 Health Technology Hazards list identifies the potential
sources of danger that we believe warrant the greatest attention for the coming year. The list does not enumerate the most
frequently reported problems or the ones associated with the most severe consequences—although we do consider such
information in our analysis. Rather, the list reflects our judgment about which risks should receive priority now.
All the items on our list represent problems that can be avoided or risks that can be minimized through the careful management
of technologies. Additional content provided with the full article, which is available separately, provides guidance to help manage
the risks. In this way, the list serves as a tool that healthcare facilities can use to prioritize their patient safety efforts.
www.ecri.org/2017hazards  ©2016 ECRI Institute. Excerpted from: Health Devices 2016 November
Members can access the full report online
ECRI Institute encourages the dissemination of the registration hyperlink, www.ecri.org/2017hazards, to access a download of this Executive Brief,
but prohibits the direct dissemination, posting, or republishing of this work, without prior permission.
How Topics Are Selected
This list focuses on what we call generic hazards—problems that result from the risks
inherent to the use of certain types or combinations of medical technologies. It does not
discuss risks or problems that pertain to specific models or suppliers.
ECRI Institute engineers, scientists, clinicians, and other patient safety analysts nominate
topics for consideration based on their own expertise and insight gained through:
• Investigating incidents
• Testing medical devices
• Observing operations and assessing hospital practices
• Reviewing the literature
• Speaking with clinicians, clinical engineers, technology managers, purchasing staff,
health systems administrators, and device suppliers
Staff also consider the thousands of health-technology-related problem reports that we
receive through our Problem Reporting Network and through data that participating facilities
For Members Only: Log in
share with our patient safety organization, ECRI Institute PSO.
to Access the Full Report
After the topic nomination phase, professionals from ECRI Institute’s many program areas,
and Solutions Kit
as well as members of some of our external advisory committees, review these topics and
This Executive Brief helps raise aware-
select their top 10. We use this feedback to produce the final list, weighing factors such as
ness of critical health technology
the following: hazards—a key step in patient safety
efforts. The next steps involve taking
• Severity. What is the likelihood that the hazard could cause serious injury or death? action to prevent the problems from
• Frequency. How likely is the hazard? Does it occur often? occurring. The 2017 Top 10 Health
Technology Hazards Solutions Kit—
• Breadth. If the hazard occurs, are the consequences likely to spread to affect a great available online to members of certain
number of people, either within one facility or across many facilities? ECRI Institute programs—will help with
that effort.
• Insidiousness. Is the problem difficult to recognize? Could the problem lead to a
The Solutions Kit provides a com-
cascade of downstream errors before it is identified or corrected? prehensive discussion of each topic,
• Profile. Is the hazard likely to receive significant publicity? Has it been reported in the actionable recommendations for mini-
mizing the risks of harm, and lists of
media, and is an affected hospital likely to receive negative attention? Has the hazard
useful resources for more information
become a focus of regulatory bodies or accrediting agencies? about each topic. The kit also provides
• Preventability. Can actions be taken now to prevent the problem or at least minimize online access to dozens of additional
ECRI-exclusive member resources
the risks? Would raising awareness of the hazard help reduce future occurrences? for addressing the hazards on this
All the topics we select for the list must, to some degree, be preventable. But any one of the year’s list. Members of ECRI Institute’s
other criteria can, on its own, warrant including a topic on the list. We encourage readers to Health Devices System, Health Devic-
es Gold, and SELECTplus® programs
examine these same factors when judging the criticality of these and other hazards at their can access this content through their
own facilities. membership web pages.
Not all hazards on the list will apply at all healthcare facilities. Also note that the exclusion For information about becoming a
of a topic that was included on a previous year’s list should not be interpreted to mean that member, contact clientservices@ecri.
org or call +1 (610) 825-6000, ext.
the topic no longer deserves attention. Most of these hazards persist, and hospitals should 5891. A list of related ECRI Institute
continue working toward minimizing them. Rather, our experts determined that other topics resources for each topic is presented
should receive greater attention in 2017. at the end of this report.
but prohibits the direct dissemination, posting, or republishing of this work, without prior permission.
Infusion Errors Can
Be Deadly If Simple
Safety Steps Are
Overlooked
1
Most large-volume infusion pumps incorporate safety mechanisms for reducing the risks of potentially deadly
intravenous (IV) infusion errors. These mechanisms have greatly improved infusion safety, but can’t eliminate all
potential errors. And the mechanisms themselves have been known to fail.
ECRI Institute continues to learn about and investigate incidents of infusion errors involving pump or administration
set failures, staff unknowingly defeating a safety mechanism, or incorrect infusion programming. Such errors—
particularly those that result in the uncontrolled flow of medication to the patient, known as “IV free flow”—can
lead to patient harm and even death.
In many of these incidents, harm could have been averted if staff had:
• Noticed signs of physical damage to infusion pump components

• Made appropriate use of the roller clamp on the IV tubing
• Checked the drip chamber beneath the medication reservoir for unexpected flow
Once commonplace, these simple practices are now often overlooked—perhaps because staff implicitly trust the
pump’s advanced safety features.
1 but prohibits the direct dissemination, posting, or republishing of this work, without prior permission.
The use of contaminated medical instruments can lead to disabling or deadly patient infections or instrument
malfunctions.
Outbreaks associated with the use of contaminated duodenoscopes—such as those that caused headlines in
recent years—illustrate the severity of this issue. But duodenoscopes are not the only devices that warrant
attention. ECRI Institute has received reports involving a variety of contaminated medical instruments that have
been used, or almost used, on patients.
Complex, reusable instruments—such as endoscopes, cannulated drills, and arthroscopic shavers—are of particular
concern. They can be difficult to clean and then disinfect or sterilize (i.e., reprocess) between uses, and the presence
of any lingering contamination on, or in, the instrument can be difficult to detect.
Often, we find that inattention to the cleaning steps within the reprocessing protocol is a contributing factor.
Healthcare facilities should verify that comprehensive reprocessing instructions are available to staff and that all
steps are consistently followed, including precleaning of the device at the point of use.
Inadequate
Cleaning of
2
Complex Reusable
Instruments Can
Lead to Infections
but prohibits the direct dissemination, posting, or republishing of this work, without prior permission. 2
Missed Ventilator
Alarms Can Lead to
Patient Harm
3
Ventilator alarm management challenges complicate efforts to prevent patient harm resulting from missed
alarms. Ventilators deliver life-sustaining therapy, and a missed alarm could be deadly. Concerns include:
• Alarm fatigue—in which staff become overwhelmed by, distracted by, or desensitized to the number of
alarms that activate.
• Alarm notification failures—in which alarms are not effectively communicated to staff.
These concerns, and the ways to manage them, are similar to those that exist with physiologic monitoring
systems, which we have addressed in previous Top 10 Health Technology Hazards lists. Ventilators, however,
pose some unique challenges. For example: Collecting and analyzing ventilator alarm data can be difficult,
making it harder for hospitals to identify where their vulnerabilities lie. And the options for supplementing a
ventilator’s alarms—so that the alarm can be noticed outside the patient’s room, for example—are limited.
As a result, ventilators will require different methods for studying the problem and different strategies for
addressing it.
Patients receiving opioids—such as morphine, hydromorphone, or fentanyl—are at risk for drug-induced respiratory
depression. If not detected, this condition can quickly lead to anoxic brain injury or death. Thus, spot checks every
few hours of a patient’s oxygenation and ventilation are inadequate.
Drug-induced respiratory depression is of particular concern for patients receiving parenteral and neuraxial opioids
in medical-surgical and general care areas. However, it is also of concern for hospital or ambulatory surgery/endoscopy
facility patients receiving opioids during procedural sedation and while in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU).
Even if they are otherwise healthy, such patients can be at risk if, for example:
• They are receiving another drug that also has a sedating effect
• They have diagnosed or undiagnosed sleep apnea or other conditions that predispose them to respiratory
compromise
• They receive more medication than intended—for example, because of a medication error
ECRI Institute recommends that healthcare facilities implement measures to continuously monitor the adequacy
of ventilation of these patients and has recently tested and rated monitoring devices for this application.
Undetected
4
Opioid-Induced
Respiratory
Depression
Infection Risks
with Heater-Cooler
Devices Used in
Cardiothoracic
Surgery
5
Heater-cooler systems have been identified as a potential source of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)
infections in heart surgery. The likelihood of infection during surgery is not fully understood. However, these
infections can be life-threatening and have resulted in patient deaths.
Heater-cooler systems are used in cardiothoracic surgeries to warm or cool the patient by extracorporeal heat
exchange with the patient’s blood during heart-lung bypass procedures. These devices circulate warm or cold
water through a closed circuit. Water in the circuit is not intended to come into direct contact with the patient or
the patient’s circulating blood. However, aerosolized water carried by air from the exhaust vents of contaminated
heater-coolers has been suggested as a cause of NTM infections.
Initial reports focused on one specific model of heater-cooler, but models from other suppliers could likewise
become contaminated under certain circumstances and if appropriate precautions are not taken.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued recommendations for all heater-cooler devices; they are
intended to help prevent and manage device contamination risks and to minimize patient exposure to heater-
cooler exhaust air, which may contain aerosolized contaminated water.
Inadequate medical device software management can delay a facility’s responses to safety alerts, allow
cybersecurity vulnerabilities to be exploited, and impact patient safety.
Maintaining a central repository of up-to-date and easily retrievable information about the software versions used
in a healthcare facility’s medical devices is challenging. But failure to do so leaves the facility ill-prepared to
effectively manage software updates and alerts.
Mismanagement of software updates and alerts can adversely affect patient care or impact patient/staff safety—
for example, by:
• Causing downtime or otherwise affecting the performance of medical devices or interconnected systems
• Delaying identification and implementation of key software updates, including those that address safety concerns
• Allowing cybersecurity vulnerabilities to persist, possibly leading to lost, stolen, or inaccessible data
To address the hazard, a healthcare facility should verify that its computerized maintenance management system
(CMMS) provides the capabilities needed to effectively track software versions for its medical devices and systems.
In addition, the facility should establish practices for keeping the software version information in the CMMS
current and complete.
Software
6
Management Gaps
Put Patients,
and Patient Data,
at Risk
Occupational
Radiation Hazards
in Hybrid ORs
7
Clinicians working in hybrid ORs—operating suites that include built-in x-ray imaging systems—are at risk of
unnecessary occupational exposures to ionizing radiation if appropriate precautions are not consistently followed.
Particular concern exists in this environment because hybrid OR staff may be less knowledgeable than radiology
and interventional radiology staff about the risks of radiation exposure, and they may be less experienced at
taking appropriate precautions.
In addition, with the increasing reliance on x-ray imaging systems during complex OR procedures, an increasing
number of specialists and staff members who previously would have had little exposure to ionizing radiation
during surgeries are now participating in these procedures.
Because long-term exposure to radiation increases the risk of cancer, it is imperative that hybrid OR staff obtain
OR-specific radiation protection training, that they put this training into action, and that available tools and
methods be used to minimize radiation exposures.
Poor choices made when setting up automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs), as well as mistakes made during use,
can lead to harmful medication errors.
Medication errors and near misses associated with ADCs have been traced to insufficient planning when setting
up medication drawers, as well as errors made when stocking them. Incidents reported to ECRI Institute include:
the presence of the wrong drug or dose in an ADC pocket, the availability of high-alert drugs in unsecured areas of
the cabinet, and the unavailability of needed drugs.
Problems such as these have resulted in delays in patient care and the administration of incorrect drugs or drug
concentrations, leading in some cases to severe patient injury.
Careful planning is required to determine:
• Which medications should be available in a particular care area
• Where in the drawer a medication should be placed (e.g., to reduce the chances that one drug will be
mistaken for another)
• Whether locked pockets or other control mechanisms should be used to further restrict access to certain
medications
Automated
8
Dispensing Cabinet
Setup and Use
Errors May Cause
Medication Mishaps
Surgical Stapler
Misuse and
Malfunctions
9
Problems associated with the use and functioning of surgical staplers can lead to intraoperative hemorrhaging,
tissue damage, unexpected postoperative bleeding, failed anastomoses, and other forms of patient harm.
Surgical staplers require meticulous technique to operate, and problems during use are not uncommon. The U.S.
Food and Drug Administration receives thousands of adverse event reports related to surgical staplers each year,
and ECRI Institute likewise consistently receives reports of surgical stapler problems. Although severe injuries are
infrequent, they do occur: We have investigated fatalities and other cases of serious patient harm.
Commonly reported problems include: misfiring or difficulty in firing, misapplied staples, unusual sounds during
firing (which can indicate a damaged or malfunctioning mechanism), and tissue becoming “jammed” in the
mechanism.
To prevent patient harm, users must be familiar with device operation, they must carefully select the appropriate
staple size for the patient and tissue type, and they must be alert to the signs that the stapler may not be functioning
as intended.
The use of cleaning agents or cleaning practices that are incompatible with the materials used in a medical
device’s construction, or that are otherwise inappropriate for the device’s design, can cause the device to
malfunction or to fail prematurely, possibly affecting patient care. Specifically:
• Repeated use of incompatible cleaning agents can damage equipment surfaces and degrade plastics,
often resulting in device breakage—possibly with no visible warning signs.
• The use of improper cleaning practices can damage seals, degrade lubricants, and cause fluid intrusion.
This can result in damage to electronics, power supplies, and motors.
Because there is no single cleaner or cleaning process that will work with all devices, hospitals must stock and
use multiple cleaning products and familiarize staff with device-specific cleaning methods—tasks that pose a
significant burden. Nevertheless, failure to do so can lead to ineffective cleaning (a potentially deadly circumstance),
as well as excessive component breakage and premature equipment failures (which can affect patient care and
be a significant financial burden).
Device Failures
10
Caused by
Cleaning Products
and Practices
ECRI Institute Resources for Addressing the Hazards
Members of certain ECRI Institute programs can —— ECRI Institute recommends culturing duo-
denoscopes as a key step to reducing CRE
access resources such as the following to learn infections. Health Devices Alerts 2015 May 7
more about the topics included on this year’s list: (Accession No. H0245 02).
—— ECRI Institute provides perspectives on FDA’s
1. Infusion Errors recent supplemental measures to enhance
Baxter—SIGMA Spectrum infusion pumps: incorrect tech- duodenoscope reprocessing. Health Devices
nique for changing administration set may lead to Alerts 2015 Aug 7 (Accession No. H0245 03).
unintentional free flow. Health Devices Alerts 2013 ECRI Institute’s September 30, 2015, web conference:
Sep 26 (Accession No. H0215). Tracking scopes: best practices for identifying
CareFusion—Alaris pump modules: damaged door compo- endoscopes during cleaning and patient use.
nents may fail to engage anti free flow mechanism,
potentially leading to gravity flow [ECRI Exclusive 3. Missed Ventilator Alarms
Hazard Report]. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Aug 25 Alarm hazards: inadequate alarm configuration policies
(Accession No. H0337). and practices. Hazard #1—top 10 health technology
Hospira—Plum Series infusion pumps: close all hazards for 2015. Health Devices 2014 Nov 24.
upstream clamps to prevent primary and second- Alarm Management Resources—This online resource
ary fluid mixing when door is open [ECRI Exclusive page provides access to ECRI Institute’s Alarm
Hazard Report]. Health Devices Alerts 2015 Nov 5 Safety Handbook and the accompanying Alarm
(Accession No. H0212 01). Safety Workbook.
Incorrect installation of free-flow clamp in B. Braun Infu- Evaluation background: ancillary alarm notification sys-
somat Space infusion pumps may result in gravity tems. Health Devices 2016 Sep 28. This resource
flow. Health Devices Alerts 2011 Jan 13 (Accession provides an overview of, and links to, our evalua-
No. H0134). tions of four ancillary alarm notification systems.
2. Inadequate Instrument Cleaning Interfacing monitoring systems with ventilators: how
well do they communicate alarms? Health Devices
ECRI Institute’s guidance related to the reprocessing
2012 May 1.
function:
Missed alarms can have fatal consequences. Hazard
—— Use of unapproved brushes for cleaning endo-
#2—top 10 health technology hazards for 2016.
scope channels is not recommended [ECRI
Health Devices 2015 Nov 7.
Exclusive Hazard Report]. Health Devices Alerts
2016 Feb 11 (Accession No. H0306). Ventilator disconnections not caught because of mis-
set or missed alarms. Hazard #5—top 10 health
—— Inadequate cleaning of flexible endoscopes
technology hazards for 2015. Health Devices 2014
before disinfection can spread deadly patho-
Nov 24.
gens. Hazard #1—top 10 health technology
hazards for 2016. Health Devices 2015 Nov 7. 4. Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression
—— Duodenoscope reprocessing challenges lead ECRI Institute Health Devices product evaluations and
to CRE exposures: update on a top 10 hazard. guidance:
Health Devices 2015 Mar 11. —— Evaluation background: monitors for detect-
—— Inadequate reprocessing of endoscopes and ing respiratory depression—recommended for
surgical instruments. Hazard #4—top 10 health patients on opioids. Health Devices 2016 Oct 5.
technology hazards for 2015. Health Devices —— Evaluation: Masimo Root capnographic
2014 Nov 24. monitoring system—findings for detection of
—— Clear channels: ensuring effective endoscope respiratory depression. Health Devices 2016
reprocessing. Health Devices 2010 Oct 1. Oct 5.
ECRI Institute’s series of alerts pertaining specifically to —— Evaluation: Medtronic Capnostream 20p monitor—
the CRE infection issue: findings for detection of respiratory depression.
—— Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatog- Health Devices 2016 Oct 5.
raphy (ERCP) duodenoscopes: design may —— Evaluation: Respiratory Motion ExSpiron 1Xi
impede effective cleaning. Health Devices monitor—findings for detection of respiratory
Alerts 2015 Feb 20 (Accession No. H0245). depression. Health Devices 2016 Oct 5.
—— Failure to effectively monitor postoperative [update]. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Aug 19
patients for opioid-induced respiratory depres- (Accession No. A24508 01).
sion can lead to brain injury or death. Hazard —— Sorin—heater cooler 1T and 3T devices: non-
#3—top 10 health technology hazards for 2016. compliance with maintenance and disinfection
Health Devices 2015 Nov 7. instructions may yield contaminated water.
ECRI Institute PSO resources: Health Devices Alerts 2016 Aug 17 (Accession
—— Pain relief: how to keep opioid administration No. A24508).
safe. PSO Navigator 2013 May. Cincinnati Sub-Zero—Hemotherm dual-reservoir cooler-
—— Patient risk factors for opioid-induced respira- heaters and ECMO heaters: manufacturer reminds
tory depression. PSO Research Response users of proper cleaning procedures to reduce
2013 Jul. risk of Nontuberculous Mycobacterium infections.
Health Devices Alerts 2016 May 20 (Accession No.
5. Heater-Cooler Infection Risks A25355).
Sorin/LivaNova—3T heater-cooler systems: manu- FDA warns of nontuberculous mycobacterium infec-
facturer announces plan to follow CDC and FDA tions associated with heater-cooler devices.
recommendations. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Oct Health Devices Alerts 2015 Oct 22 (Accession No.
20 (Accession No. A27411). H0284).
The S0287 series of Special Reports that culminated in Various heater-coolers used with cardiopulmonary
S0287 02: bypass machines: may become contaminated with
—— Sorin/LivaNova—3T heater-cooler systems: FDA Mycobacterium, potentially leading to patient infec-
issues new recommendations related to Myco- tion. Health Devices Alerts 2015 Jun 11 (Accession
bacterium chimaera infection risks [update]. No. A24543).
Health Devices Alerts 2016 Oct 14 (Accession Sorin—heater cooler devices: may become con-
No. S0287 02). taminated. Health Devices Alerts 2014 Aug 6
—— Sorin—3T heater-cooler systems: FDA warns (Accession No. A22770).
of Mycobacterium chimaera infections associ-
ated with use of systems. Health Devices Alerts 6. Software Management Gaps
2016 Oct 13 (Accession No. S0287 01). Biomed-IT collaboration critical to ensuring proper func-
tioning of medical devices residing on hospital IT
—— Sorin—3T heater-cooler systems: FDA plans to
infrastructure. Health Devices Alerts 2013 Jun 6
restrict importation into U.S. Health Devices
(Accession No. S0241).
Alerts 2016 Jan 15 (Accession No. S0287).
Failure to act on gamma camera manufacturer notices
Maquet—heater-cooler units: may become contaminated
that require equipment servicing or modifica-
with bacteria. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Oct 5
tion can lead to serious patient injury or death.
(Accession No. A27329).
Health Devices Alerts 2015 Jun 11 (Accession No.
Bard—Medivance ARCTICSUN temperature manage- H0259).
ment systems: manufacturer updates warnings to
Hospira—MedNet Medication Management Suite used
exclude use of in operating room. Health Devices
with SapphirePlus infusion pumps: incorrect bolus
Alerts 2016 Oct 24 (Accession No. A27250).
amounts may be calculated for specific drugs.
The A24508 series of Alerts that culminated in A24508 Health Devices Alerts 2016 Sep 29 (Accession No.
03: A27131).
—— Sorin—heater cooler 1T and 3T devices: non- Neglecting change management for networked devices
compliance with maintenance and disinfection and systems. In: Top 10 health technology hazards
instructions may yield contaminated water for 2014: key safety threats to manage in the com-
[update]. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Jun 21 ing year (Hazard #7). Health Devices 2013 Nov 1.
(Accession No. A24508 03).
Varian—ARIA Radiation Therapy Management Prescribe
—— Sorin—heater cooler 1T and 3T devices: non- Treatment software: organ at risk dose-volume
compliance with maintenance and disinfection constraint values may be displayed incorrectly
instructions may yield contaminated water if prescription was created in previous version.
[update]. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Jun 14 Health Devices Alerts 2016 Sep 15 (Accession No.
(Accession No. A24508 02). A27200).
—— Sorin—heater cooler 1T and 3T devices: non- Windows 10 upgrade may result in medical device
compliance with maintenance and disinfection malfunction. Health Devices Alerts 2015 Dec 10
instructions may yield contaminated water (Accession No. H0296).
7. Occupational Radiation Hazards in Hybrid ORs ECRI Institute User Experience Network—lower door
Occupational radiation hazards in hybrid ORs (Hazard hinge may crack on Carefusion Alaris 8100 Pump
No. 5). In: Top 10 health technology hazards for Modules. Health Devices Alerts 2014 May 15
2014: key safety threats to manage in the coming (Accession No. S0251 01).
year. Health Devices 2013 Nov 1. Fresenius—2008 series hemodialysis machines: manu-
facturer reminds users of cleaning guidelines.
8. Automated Dispensing Cabinet Errors Health Devices Alerts 2015 Aug 12 (Accession No.
Medication management systems, decentralized. A24922).
Healthcare Product Comparison System Haemonetics—various cell processor and collection sys-
2014 Nov. tem devices: improper cleaning may damage pump
9. Surgical Stapler Misuse and Malfunctions rollers, potentially leading to device malfunction
[Update]. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Feb 23 (Acces-
Before a surgical stapler fails [guidance article]. Health sion No. A25476 01).
Devices 2001 Oct.
Infusion pumps—failure to follow manufacturers’
Surgical staplers: recommendations to reduce the risk recommended cleaning instructions may cause
of commonly reported problems. Health Devices premature device failures. [ECRI Exclusive Hazard
Alerts 2016 Mar 17 (Accession No. H0312). Report]. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Jun 16 (Acces-
Surgical stapler hazards. In: Top 10 technology hazards: sion No. H0328).
high-priority risks and what to do about them (Haz- Intuitive—da Vinci Surgical Systems: certain disinfec-
ard #8). Health Devices 2009 Nov. tant wipes may damage instrument arm plastic
Using the wrong size surgical stapler cartridge can injure components. Health Devices Alerts 2016 Jan 14
patients [hazard report]. Health Devices 2009 Apr. (Accession No. A25621).
10. Device Failures Caused by Cleaning Products PARI—PARI SOLE N and PARI SOLE N Tracheo inhalation
devices: liquid may damage temperature gauge.
and Practices Health Devices Alerts 2013 Nov 12 (Accession No.
Baxter—SIGMA Spectrum infusion pumps: incorrect A21201).
cleaning of pump battery connections may lead to
Philips M4841a telemetry transmitters may experience
battery alarms and errors. [ECRI Exclusive Hazard
short circuit and overheat if battery compartment
Report]. Health Devices Alerts 2015 Sep 10 (Acces-
tab breaks. [Hazard Report]. Health Devices Alerts
sion No. H0274).
2013 Feb 28 (Accession No. H0192).
Berchtold—OPERON surgical table hand controls:
Siemens—cleaning solutions used with ADVIA Centaur
unintended table section movement may occur
Systems: hypochlorite may degrade at a higher-
[Update]. Health Devices Alerts 2014 Jul 31 (Acces-
than-expected rate. Health Devices Alerts 2014
sion No. A19816 01).
Nov 26 (A23371).
Covidien/Medtronic—Genius 2 ear tympanic ther-
mometers: may crack from use of incompatible
disinfectants. [ECRI Exclusive Hazard Report].
Health Devices Alerts 2015 Sep 10 (Accession No.
H0275).
Objectives of the Health Devices System
To improve the effectiveness, safety, and economy of
health services by:
 Providing independent, objective judgment for

selecting, purchasing, managing, and using
medical devices, equipment, and systems.
 Functioning as an information clearinghouse

for hazards and deficiencies in medical
devices.
 Encouraging the improvement of medical

devices through an informed marketplace.
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What are the top 10 health technology hazards for 2017 according to the report?

What is the purpose of the Top 10 Health Technology Hazards list?

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

The List for 2017

The Purpose of the List

• Noticed signs of physical damage to infusion pump components

 Providing independent, objective judgment for

 Functioning as an information clearinghouse

 Encouraging the improvement of medical

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