Laparoscopic Instrument Repair Checklist

• ☐ Stop using the instrument immediately • Segregate from usable stock
• ☐ Keep all detachable components and inserts together
• ☐ Record the exact product name, manufacturer, and product code
• ☐ Record the hospital asset or serial number • Document the department
• ☐ Note the reported fault details (when it occurs and frequency)
• ☐ Identify whether the instrument contacted a patient
• ☐ Follow the hospital's decontamination and cleaning protocol

• ☐ Attach a visible quarantine or repair tag stating "Do Not Use"
• ☐ Store in the designated skills-lab or CSSD quarantine area
• ☐ Notify the CSSD or biomedical engineering department
• ☐ Check whether similar instruments in the set have the same problem
• ☐ Review the manufacturer's instructions for permitted servicing
• ☐ Send the instrument only through an approved technical repair process
• ☐ Update the instrument's digital or physical register logs

1. Identify and Describe

Step 1: Identify the Exact Instrument:

Record the name, manufacturer, product code, serial/asset number, diameter, length, jaw pattern, and energy modality. Avoid broad terms like "laparoscopic grasper."

Step 2: Record the Reported Problem:

Provide detailed descriptions: "jaw does not close," "scissors tear tissue," "ratchet slips," "telescope is cloudy," or "bipolar arcing." Avoid vague notes like "not working."

2. Quarantine and Reprocess

Step 3: Quarantine the Instrument:

Attach a quarantine label with date, reporter's name, asset number, fault details, and decontamination status. Store in a designated quarantine area.

Step 4: Manage Contamination Safely:

Decontaminate, clean, disinfect, or sterilize the instrument according to infection control guidelines. Lumens must be flushed. The FDA describes reprocessing as a multistep process; visual cleanliness is not enough. FDA: Reprocessing of reusable medical devices.

Rigid Laparoscope / Telescope Inspection

Telescopes are highly sensitive optical assemblies. Inspect for:

• Cloudy image or optical distortion • Distal lens scratches
• Bent outer tube • Internal moisture or seal failure
• Light-post adapter damage • Loose eyepiece
• Fiber pattern dark spots • Sheath locking alignment

Do not polish lenses, open the telescope or attempt to straighten the tube. Send for specialist optical evaluation.

Light Cables & Reusable Veress Needles

Fibre-Optic Light Cables:

Check for reduced light output, dark spots (damaged fibers), cracked outer covers, loose adapters, and connector compatibility. Avoid tight coiling or kinks.

Reusable Veress Needles:

Inspect shaft straightness, outer tip sharpness, blunt stylet spring action, gas exit port blockages, Luer-lock stopcocks, and decontamination status.

Questions to Ask a Repair Provider

Before dispatching instruments, verify:

• Do you have experience with this specific model and brand?
• Will insulation, electrical, and mechanical tests be completed?
• Will a post-repair test report and warranty be supplied?
• What parts will be replaced, and will original designs change?
• What is the expected turnaround time and transit tracking?

Do not approve quotations stating only "general repair" without component-wise details.

Post-Repair Acceptance Checklist

Upon return, the hospital biomedical team must check:

☐ Match to dispatch records and confirm serial/asset numbers. • ☐ Check all parts and review mechanical/electrical test results. • ☐ Inspect surface finish, jaw alignment, rotation smoothness, stopcock flows, and insulation integrity. • ☐ Perform hospital acceptance trials and update the service register logs.

The repair provider's "working" label does not replace the hospital's independent acceptance process.