AVALON US TRANSDUCER
Report
- Report Number
- 9610816-2025-000111
- Event Type
- Malfunction
- Date Received
- February 18, 2025
- Date of Event
- January 22, 2025
- Report Date
- February 17, 2025
- Manufacturer
- PHILIPS MEDIZIN SYSTEME BÖBLINGEN GMBH
- Product Code
- HGL
- UDI-DI
- 00884838093195
- PMA / PMN Number
- K140535
- Removal / Correction Number
- Z-2239-2024
- Product Problem
- Yes
- Report Source
- Manufacturer report
- Reporter Location
- SA
- Reporter Occupation
- BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER
- Health Professional
- Yes
Narratives
A PHILIPS RSE CONTACTED THE CUSTOMER AND CONFIRMED THE REPORTED ISSUE OF INACCURATE FHR (FETAL HEART RATE) BEING PRODUCED WHEN MONITORING MULTIPLE FETUSES. THE ISSUE OCCURRED WHEN MONITORING WITH A WIRED US TRANSDUCER WITH FIRMWARE (FW) L.01.04. PHILIPS INVESTIGATED THESE COMPLAINTS, DOCUMENTED UNDER VV-B300-2024-00172, AND DETERMINED THAT THIS ISSUE IS CAUSED BY CHANGES IMPLEMENTED UNDER ENGINEERING CHANGE B300-2023-02-30892, RELEASED (B)(6)2023. THESE CHANGES UPDATED THE ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER WITH A NEW CPU BOARD AND FIRMWARE IN RESPONSE TO A SHORTAGE OF MULTIPLE COMPONENTS. DUE TO A CHIP SHORTAGE SITUATION, A HW/SW DESIGN CHANGE WAS REQUIRED, WHICH INTRODUCED A PERFORMANCE ISSUE TO THE FETAL HEART RATE (FHR) MEASUREMENT OF WIRED ULTRASOUND (US) TRANSDUCERS. THE NEED FOR SUBTLE ADJUSTMENTS OF THE TRANSMIT/RECEIVE TIME WINDOWS IN US MEASUREMENTS UNEXPECTEDLY INTRODUCED INTERFERENCE WITH ADJACENT TRANSDUCERS (TWIN/TRIPLET USE CASES) BY GENERATING MEASURABLE ARTIFICIAL RHYTHMIC SIGNALS THAT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS ACTUAL PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNALS (FETAL HEART BEATS). THIS INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE NEW FIRMWARE (453564254621-S-FW-01, REV L.01.04) WHICH IS DESIGNED FOR ALL AVALON TRANSDUCERS, SHOWS AN UNEXPECTED ISSUE FOR THE ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCER (867246). WHEN MONITORING MULTIPLES (TWINS OR TRIPLETS), THE WIRED AVALON ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS (PRODUCT NO. 867246) HAVE A TENDENCY TO PRODUCE AN ARTIFICIAL FETAL HEART RATE (FHR) INSTEAD OF FHR GAPS, MOSTLY AT APPROXIMATELY 180 BPM, IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNAL (ECHO FROM PULSATING FETAL HEART) IS ABSENT OR VERY WEAK. BASED ON THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AND THE TESTING CONDUCTED, THE CAUSE OF THE REPORTED PROBLEM WAS DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TRANSDUCER'S FIRMWARE. THE REPORTED PROBLEM WAS CONFIRMED. THE FCO HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED; THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED AFTER UPDATING THE TRANSDUCER FW TO REV. L.01.05. THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES THAT NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED AT THIS TIME. IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS RECEIVED THE COMPLAINT FILE WILL BE REOPENED. BOX E: REPORTING INSTITUTION PHONE #: (B)(6). REPORTER PHONE #: (B)(6).
PHILIPS RECEIVED A COMPLAINT ON THE AVALON US TRANSDUCER INDICATING THAT THERE WERE INACCURATE FETAL HEART RATE (FHR) MEASUREMENTS WHEN MONITORING MULTIPLE FETUSES. THE DEVICE WAS IN CLINICAL USE AT THE TIME OF EVENT. THERE WAS NO ADVERSE EVENT OR PATIENT HARM REPORTED.
Devices
| Seq | Brand | Generic | Product Code | Manufacturer | Model | Lot | UDI-DI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2523517 | AVALON US TRANSDUCER | AVALON US TRANSDUCER | HGL | PHILIPS MEDIZIN SYSTEME BÖBLINGEN GMBH | 867246 | 00884838093195 |
Patients
| Seq | Age | Sex | Outcome | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NA | Female |