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Must-have

Anesthesia Machine Leak Test — Pre-Use Checkout

Verify breathing-system, low-pressure, and back-bar integrity before every case using the ASA 2008 manual pressure test plus universal/vaporizer leak check.

A pre-use leak test confirms the anesthesia breathing circuit and low-pressure system can hold pressure so the ventilator-delivered tidal volume and volatile concentration actually reach the patient — an undetected leak causes hypoventilation, rebreathing, low agent delivery, and awareness under anesthesia.

If you forget

Headline: Occlude patient Y → close pop-off → O2 flush → manometer holds ≥30 cmH2O for ≥10 s with decay <5 cmH2O = PASS.

Board trap

Q: 'The machine passed its automated self-test this morning — do you still need a manual leak test before this case?' A: Yes — every case, every time. The ASA 2008 pre-anesthesia checkout and the 2023 ASA equipment-failure advisory both require a manual positive-pressure breathing-system test; automated self-tests do not localize leaks to the patient circuit or detect a displaced CO2 canister gasket.

Key numbers

Positive-pressure test target: hold ≥30 cmH2O for ≥10 s with decay <5 cmH2O
Typical acceptable leak rate: <200 mL/min at 30 cmH2O (manufacturer-specific)
Negative-pressure / universal leak test: suction bulb must stay inflated ≥10 s
Pipeline supply pressure: ~50 psig (3.5 bar) — verify on the pipeline gauge
Automated self-test interval: typically every 24 h per manufacturer specification

Reviewed Sep 15, 2026 for clinical accuracy by BoardsBridge Editorial Process

Uri Rozen, MD — Licensed Physician, Israel

Source guidelines: ASA Machine Checkout 2008 · ASA Equipment Failure 2023

Re-review cadence: 12 months from reviewed date.

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Related on BoardsBridge

Card ID: checkout-leak · Path: aba.equipment.machine.checkout-leak