AED “Expirations?”

This month, as I began my routine of checking all of the AEDs in our facilities, I noticed we had one in particular that was not cooperating.  Further investigation lead to the discovery that said AED was out of warranty, and it was recommended by the manufacturer that it be removed from use.  Obviously, this came as a shock to me.  I have never heard of an AED “expiring,” only the pads and batteries, which I replace regularly.  I also found it shocking that this warranty date was not posted on the AED itself, or on the manufacturer’s website.  How then, I questioned the customer service representative, does one know if their AED is out of warranty or not? 

All of us rely on the services of an AED at practices and competitions, regardless if we actually put them to use or not.  We should have confidence in the fact that when we need it, it will not fail.  It is, after all, a proven life-saving device.  No sane person would ever put a faulty device into rotation, so why then would a company not make this little tidbit known? 

The situation was quickly remedied with the purchase of a new machine, but it left lingering questions.  In addition to a mass inquiry as to when the remainder of our AEDs expire, I question the company’s lack of education on their products as well.  What is the standard practice here?  What is it that the FDA and American Heart Association recommend?  And is this something that needs to be brought to the attention of other practicing health care professionals?  I leave with posing you the question of how you would handle this situation at your jobsite, and yes, helpful comments are certainly welcomed!