Description of Event or Problem · 1
AN ANALGESIA GAS MACHINE (FLOWMETER) WAS RETURNED FOR REPAIR AND WAS RECEIVED ON 3/3/97 WITH A NOTE SAYING "100% NITROUS WITHOUT OXYGEN". THIS INSTRUMENT IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER MIXED O2 AND N2O TO A DENTAL PT. WHEN O2 FLOW OR PRESSURE IS NOT PRESENT, THE INSTRUMENT IS DESIGNED TO DELIVER MIXED O2 AND N2O TO A DENTAL PT. WHEN O2 FLOW OR PRESSURE IS NOT PRESENT, THE INSTRUMENT HAS A FEATURE WHICH STOPS THE FLOW OF N2O. THIS FEATURE, THEREFORE, HAD MALFUNCTIONED. UPON EVAL THE CONDITION OF NITROUS OXIDE (N2O) FLOW WITHOUT OXYGEN (O2) COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THE CO FOLLOW-UP REPORT OF THE DENTIST CONTACT STATES "THE OBSERVATION WAS MADE DURING A FAILSAFE CHECK AND THAT NO PTS WERE CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM." THEREFORE, AT NO TIME DID A PT RECEIVE 100% N2O FROM THIS DEVICE AS A RESULT OF THIS MALFUNCTION. CO HAS PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED MDR'S WHEN THE FAILSAFE HAS MALFUNCTIONED. UNDER THE CURRENT MDR REGULATIONS, CO HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS CATEGORY OF PRODUCT MALFUNCTION DOES NOT REQUIRE SUBMISSION OF AN MDR AND HAS FILED AN EXEMPTION WITH THE FDA ON 11/6/96.