Safe Auscultation with the Stethoscope

The stethoscope is one of the most used diagnostic medical devices. The device amplifies small sounds such as the sound of a patient's lungs, heart and intestines, making them sound louder. The amplified sounds travel up the stethoscope tube to the earpiece that the physician listens through. The diagnostic medical device is also used for auscultatory blood pressure measurements, where blood pressure is measured by listening to the Korotkoff sounds. Since different frequencies play a role in the auscultation of organs, manufacturers have created a variety of stethoscope chestpieces with different designs and purposes.

Medical professionals need to choose the appropriate stethoscope for each frequency range to guarantee a precise diagnosis. While a bell-shaped chestpiece is required for lower frequency heart tones, diaphragms are ideal for listening to higher frequencies. Many of the 3M Littmann stethoscopes are equipped with a dual-frequency diaphragm, which can be used for both higher and lower frequencies depending on the contact pressure.

A Comparison of Stethoscopes

Whether digital or acoustic, stethoscopes are a vital piece of medical equipment. Choosing the right stethoscope can be hard, especially when there are so many different designs and additional features on offer. Here is an overview of the different kinds of stethoscopes on the market and their range of application, so you can find the stethoscope that best suits your needs.

The Dual-Head Stethoscope

A dual-head stethoscope is generally equipped with a double-sided chestpiece. Either the chestpiece is made up of one large and one small diaphragm, or one diaphragm and one bell side. Thanks to the two sides, the stethoscope can be used in many different fields, e.g. in general medicine, for use with children and adults alike, or in the emergency services, where a stethoscope is used to assess the condition of the patient. The Classic II S.E and its successor, the Littmann Classic III stethoscope are particularly popular in this category.

The Sprague Rappaport Stethoscope

The Sprague Rappaport stethoscope is a special version of the acoustic stethoscope with a relatively short, double tube, dual-head chestpiece and interchangeable bells and diaphragms. As a result, it can be used with bells or diaphragms of different sizes.

The Digital & Electronic Stethoscope

Digital and electronic stethoscopes amplify sounds, thus facilitating auscultations of particularly soft sounds. Digital stethoscopes also filter out higher frequencies to eliminate ambient noises making them useful for examinations in noisy environments, e.g. in emergency rooms. A popular digital stethoscope is the Eko DUO. Eko DUO combines a powerful digital stethoscope and ECG in a single handheld device and does an excellent job of filtering out ambient noise frequencies. We stock the Eko DUO, with corresponding spare parts, in our online shop. Another brand name digital stethoscope that we offer is the Littmann CORE Digital Stethoscope from 3M Littmann. It uses the most advanced digital auscultation technology to date and is equipped with active noise cancellation to filter out background noises.

The Flat Head Stethoscope

The flat head stethoscope is not only used by doctors, but also by medical staff like nurses and carers. Generally, these professional groups perform preliminary exams like blood pressure measurements, as opposed to more precise examinations. The flat head stethoscope offers a great price-performance ratio and is a perfect piece of equipment for nurses and carers.

Stethoscopes for Infants and Children

For listening to children and babies, there are special paediatric stethoscopes with particularly small chestpieces that are perfect for smaller patients.

Some manufacturers, like Littmann or ERKA offer such stethoscopes with great acoustic performance and a robust, durable workmanship.

The Cardiology Stethoscope

The cardiology stethoscope, such as the Littmann Cardiology IV or the Littman Master Cardiology, stands out thanks to its acoustic performance.

Even soft heart tones and heart murmurs can be heard clearly guaranteeing a precise diagnosis.

The Littmann Stethoscope

Littman stethoscopes from 3M Littmann stand out thanks to their high quality and excellent sound transmission. As a result, Littmann stethoscopes are the first choice for many medical professionals looking for a new stethoscope. The product range from Littmann includes the whole spectrum of stethoscopes - from standard and paediatric stethoscopes to cardiology and digital stethoscopes. One distinctive feature of the Littmann stethoscopes is the possibility to choose the tubing colour.

In contrast to other manufacturers, who generally only offer their instruments in black or the basic greens, yellows or reds, Littmann uses a whole range of modern and eye-catching colours such as Caribbean blue or plum. In recent years, the brand has added special editions to its range, such as the Black Edition, where not only is the tube black, but the chestpiece and earpieces are also completely black.

Additionally, we stock the new Stem Edition from 3M Littmann, which is available for the Classic III and the Cardiology IV. In the Stem Edition, the colour of the stem creates a stylish contrast to the colour of the tube and the chestpiece.

Some of our most popular Littmann stethoscopes, alongside the Littmann Classic III with a dual-head stainless steel chestpiece and the Littmann Cardiology IV, are the Littmann Master Classic II stethoscope, the Master Cardiology stethoscope with a handcrafted chestpiece and the new Littmann Lightweight II S.E., which has a particularly lightweight design and special teardrop-shaped chestpiece.

Buy Stethoscopes at Affordable Prices

At the Praxisdienst online shop, we offer a large assortment of stethoscopes for use in medical practices, hospitals and emergency services. We invite you to use our handy attribute function to compare the different products. We offer stethoscopes for cardiology, paediatrics, veterinary and general medicine, as well as compatible accessories such as Littmann spare part sets, including everything from diaphragms to ear tips.

Do you have any questions regarding our medical stethoscopes? Perhaps you are looking for a specific Littmann stethoscope or are interested in purchasing a digital model, or simply need to order some spare parts? Our customer service will be happy to help. Feel free to get in touch via telephone, email or live chat.