Dialysis Machine Returned from Home HD

[KevinJGibbs]

I would like members opinions on what others have done when a HD machine and WRO have been returned from a home patient that smoked heavily?

Just we've just got one back today and the internal tubing etc. is yellow with baked on nicotine and it smells quite bad!

Home HD nurse very reluctant to scrap but it will take a lot of money and man hours to get it in a suitable condition.

The machine is a B Braun Dialog+ EVO and only 5 years old!

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Regards

Kevin

[Ian Wilde]

That's a tough one Kevin,

Perhaps hang a couple of Magic Trees inside ;-)

We've had something similar and I'm not sure you can ever truly get rid of the smell.  We could find noting else to do but clean it up the best week could and then the next time a smoking patient goes home - they get it.

I wonder if road tar remover for cars would work on the tubing?


Best call Kim & Aggie!

[Chris Bates]

You've probably tried it, but I seem to remember 70/30 isopropyl alcohol was OK at removing the stains.

[David Brimson]

I remember the Cobe C2 we returned from home patients who smoked in the 1980's at home. The lines were brown & the smell was awful. I did manage to spray the bottom panel & the nicotine ran off. The lines were replaceable & were replaced inside & out. However the electronic boards & wiring were not. We just did our best & sprayed hospital air freshener inside & hoped the next patient couldn't smell it. The brown nicotine coated all the wiring. The treatment cabin's were just as bad & the ceilings were brown too.
It's always worse when the machine has a cooling fan sucking the smoke in too.
We have had other machines returned with nicotine smells but I think more patients smoked in the 1980's than now.
I can remember cleaning the screen of a TV with a cloth & seeing how much nicotine was on it & how clear the TV screen was after too.
I don't remember any machines not working due to Nicotine damage. I do remember working in a certain patients homes in thick smoke when both husband & wife were puffing away. I did feel sorry for the parrot at this particular home as it must have had emphysema!
This article is interesting.
https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/couple-left-fuming-after-theyre-told-aps800-tv-has-been-ruined-by-them-smoking-369836

[Gerry Boyle]

Hi Kevin, some years ago we had a 5 year old Ak200 from a similar situation.   Tried everything I could think of but in the end had to scrap it.   Couldn't even use it in-centre.  Gerry