Lifespan of a defibrillator, its electrode pads and batteries

A DAE is not a single monolithic device. The electronic housing, built to last, relies on two consumables with a limited service life: the adhesive electrode pads and the battery. Properly maintained, a defibrillator works for 8 to 10 years, and often longer. The pads, however, must be replaced every 2 to 5 years depending on the model, and the battery every 3 to 5 years.

On the budget side, the prices recorded in our catalogue give clear benchmarks: a DAE costs between 350 and 2,395 euros incl. VAT, with a median price of around 1,090 euros. Pads range from 14 to 239 euros (median around 99 euros) and batteries from 10 to 499 euros (median close to 259 euros).

Electrode pads contain a conductive gel that ensures they stick to the skin and transmit the shock properly. Even in sealed packaging, this gel dries out over time: once the expiry date printed on the sachet has passed, electrical contact is no longer guaranteed, even if the packaging has never been opened.

The battery, for its part, discharges slowly as it powers the self-tests the unit runs at regular intervals. A DAE on standby draws little power, but it draws it continuously. That is why a battery reaches the end of its life after 3 to 5 years, whether or not a shock has ever been delivered. Extreme storage conditions, particularly in terms of temperature, can shorten these deadlines further.

All recent DAE units, whether fully automatic (DEA) or semi-automatic (DSA), run periodic self-tests: battery status, internal circuits and, depending on the model, pad connection. The result appears on a status indicator, usually a light visible on the front of the unit.

The rule is simple: a green light or a validity symbol means the unit is ready for use. A red light, a cross, a repeated audible signal or a blank display should raise the alarm immediately. Checking this indicator visually on a regular basis is the simplest and most effective verification an operator can carry out.

Three situations call for a replacement. The first: the expiry date of the pads or the battery has been reached. These dates appear on the consumables themselves; note them down as soon as the unit is installed and order replacements a few weeks before the deadline.

The second: the DAE has been used. After any use, the used pads must be replaced without delay and the battery status checked. The third: the self-test reports a fault. Finally, beyond 8 to 10 years in service, even a unit that still works deserves a review with a view to renewal, especially if the manufacturer no longer supports the model.

The budget for a defibrillator therefore goes well beyond the initial purchase. With pads to renew every 2 to 5 years and a battery every 3 to 5 years, the operator should plan for several sets of pads and at least one spare battery over a decade: a recurring consumables line to factor in from the outset.

The observed medians, around 99 euros for a set of pads and 259 euros for a battery, make it possible to estimate this maintenance cost. It remains modest given what is at stake, but it must never be put off: a DAE with expired consumables is a potentially unusable device on the day when every minute counts. Without defibrillation, the chances of survival fall by roughly 10 per cent per minute.

A maintenance contract entrusts monitoring to a professional: preventive visits, checks on the indicators, replacement of consumables before they expire. For the operator, it is a guarantee of staying compliant without having to keep a schedule, and therefore without any risk of forgetting.

Rental takes this logic all the way. At France Défibrillateur, it starts from 50 euros excl. VAT per month, maintenance and consumables included, with replacement of the unit after use. For outright purchase, our DAE units come with a 5 year warranty, are delivered within 2 to 5 working days, and every quotation request receives a reply within 24 hours. Installation includes the regulatory signage and registration on the national GéoDAE database, and we also offer training in how to use the device.

Loi n° 2018-527 and décret n° 2018-1186 (the French law and implementing decree on defibrillators) made the DAE compulsory in premises open to the public: French public-access buildings (ERP) in categories 1 to 3 from 1 January 2020, category 4 from 1 January 2021 and certain category 5 ERP from 1 January 2022. Every unit must be registered on the national GéoDAE database and signposted in line with the arrêté du 29 novembre 2018 (the ministerial order of 29 November 2018).

Above all, article R. 5212-25 du Code de la santé publique (the French public health code) places maintenance on the operator: it is the operator who answers for the unit being in good working order. With around 50,000 sudden cardiac arrests every year in France, that responsibility is anything but theoretical. For local authorities, funding routes such as the DETR, the DSIL or inter-municipal matched funding are worth checking on a case by case basis.