finding the right stethoscope. which do you use?

[watakushi]

I used to have a Littmann Cardiology III, until I used my partner's stethescope one day and I was sold. He had a Doctor's Research Group (DRG) Puretone Cardiology stethescope, and it ran circles around my Littmann. Not only that, but it is cheaper. The DRG Puretone Cardiology has a metal coil wrapped in neoprene that runs the length of the stethescope to help block out external noise. Also, it has gel seal ear tips to help get a better seal in your ear and block noise. It is amazing. I used to have trouble determining tube placement with my Litman, but I haven't had any doubts since I bout my DRG. The cardiology model is $135, and they have a traditional model, which I bought for my wife and I can't tell a difference between her's and mine. The traditional is $78. Here is a link to Emergency Medical Products, which is where I bought mine: Emergency Medical Products

[Roostmonkey]

Sort of off topic, but I thought it was interesting...

Take your pressure sensitve Littmann and put it in the hard drive portion of your laptop and feel how much pressure it takes to hear low vs. high pitched sounds, it's not much. I was pretty amazed. Perhaps I'm bored after shift and having trouble sleeping?

I've gotten to use my C3 on two shifts now, and the difference is really amazing compared to me clinical lite. Breath sounds are louder but also offer better tones, heart tones are amazingly improved, and BP's are much easier, especially in the back of the rig.

It's not cheap, and I certainly don't have a lot of money to throw around, but it really was worth every penny.

http://www.allheart.com

[Dustdevil]

Take your pressure sensitve Littmann and put it in the hard drive portion of your laptop...

WTF :?:

You totally lost me there. :?

If you are nothing but a street medic or tech, don't waste your money on anything more expensive than a Classic II. You don't do anything but take BP's and rudimentary breath sounds. A cardiology scope is a waste of money for the average medic. It seems that most medics choose their scope based upon what others are wearing instead of any realistic criteria. Crazy. ADC's are just as good, but everybody wants a Littmann just for bragging rights. Of course, none of them have a clue about heart sounds, but they still must have a "cardiology" scope to wear around their neck. Or their rearview mirror.

Wankerism.

I've used nothing but a Littmann Infant stethoscope for the last twenty years. It's just a Classic with a very small head. Makes it perfect for sliding under a BP cuff or really pinpointing heart sounds. But I bought a new Littmann Master Cardiology scope (Black Edition) right before deploying here, based upon these criteria:

• 1. I needed an adult scope

2. I need a cardiology sensitive scope, which you do not if you are working on an ambulance.

3. I want a dual lumen scope for sensitivity and noise reduction.

4. I want a single head scope for noise reduction and the ability to put it under a BP cuff.

5. The solid black (including head and earpieces!) really looks cool.

6. Nobody else has this scope, so if it gets stolen, I can recognise it easily.

• If you can't come up with a similar, objective list of criteria for what you are buying, then you need to keep looking.

And yeah, this has been covered in many previous topics here.

[Ridryder 911]

I still say it is not what you put in your ear, it is what is betweeen them that counts.....

R/r 911

[Nate]

I still say it is not what you put in your ear, it is what is betweeen them that counts.....

R/r 911

I've heard stuff with a "cheap-o" that I haven't picked up with a more expensive scope. Blood and other body fluids can be a real PITA to clean on a scope, which is why I'm not to found of the more expensive ones. I would get a box of alki pre-pads and take your co-workers (ask first) scopes for a test run. You might just find one that works great for you and doesn't have a cool name or a really high price tag. :wink:

Here is the thing that gets me, I've noticed more EMT-B's carrying these cardiac scopes then paramedics. :?

[rescue25]

I've got a Littman II SE... was on sale when I got it for about $55. I like it quite a bit more than the cheap $10 stethoscope I had prior to that.

[watakushi]

Trust me, if you try the Doctor's Research Group Stethescope, you will never go back. Even if you just buy the cheaper one. You can always return it if you don't like it. But, I am positive you will be as impressed as I was, and still am. Plus, the scope comes with antimicrobial covers, with the option of buying more, that are interchangeable. Go to: Emergency Medical Products

[JPINFV]

I second DRG's. I got the el-cheapo Symphony one. The only time I've ever had a problem was if I didn't change the soft diaphragm (they're anti-microbial and the steth comes with 4 free ones, but it also comes with a traditional diaphragm that doesn't need to be replaced) when I was supposed to. After using the soft seal ear tips, I've found that my ear's won't stand the hard rubber ones that the standard steths comes with.

Another link for DRG steths.

http://allheart.com/newdrgitems.html

edit: Has anyone used the DRG steths with the external sound reducing? How well does it work and is it worth the extra money over the Symphony?

[Ace844]

Hello Everyone,

I use a Ltimann Cardiology 2 SE. I got it as a graduation prsent from EMT school and have had the same one ever sense. So I guess that 10+ years later and still having it in good condition, and functioning well, the investment has been worth it. Admittedly, whne I first got it I didn't use 'the features' or understand the who, what, why,when of them either. But as time went on, and I became more educated, knowledgeable and proactive in both my practice and educationally I then used all of it's features. That's right "Dust," I do listen to heart sounds as part of my assessments and amazingly enough I do understand all about them. I do so as often as possible both to 'maintain' the skill and again as a clinical tool. I would recommend this scope to anyone who is willing to invest it and I have also found the acoustics to be 'Head and Shoulders' above the $ .10 scopes most services provide for you. As always this is just my .02, MHLO, and YMMV.

Out here,

ACE844

[chbare]

We have a rack in the nurses station where docs and nurses hang their scopes. I usually grab one of those scopes when I do an assessment. I save money and never have to worry about loosing a scope. On the ambulance I use the company supplied ambulance stock stethoscope.

Take care,

chbare.