Stethoscope: traditional or electronic?

I do have my opinion, but would like to know yours!

Do you prefer to auscultate your patients (or being) with a traditional or an electronic stethoscope?

What do you think are the pros and cons of each choice?

Thank you

I think an acoustic stethoscope with its heavier chest piece and more direct path between the doctor and patient is sexier. I have a Jabes electronic scope and its sound quality is very good, but it feels so light and picks up a lot more skin noise when you first put it on the patient that I don't use it as the first scope when I do auscultation. I always start with my Littmann cardio 3, and then go over the patient a second time with the Jabes.

Acoustic is much more intimate and sensual

I've never used an electronic, but the ability to easily record is very appealing to me. I might buy one at some point in the future. So I guess, for now, the traditional acoustic wins.

Acoustic by far. Electronic is fun too though.

Acoustic is much better

Acoustic for acoustics a n d optic! For me, electronic Stethoscopes don't look and feel sexy at all. I love the soft, sexy red rubber tubes of an acoustic Stethoscope. And the sound is more natural and authentic. A good Littmann is the best for good quality listening, and an old German red Supraphon is the sexiest for looking, feeling and smelling :-) In my opinion at least...

I own both and they both are fun in different ways. I think it would depend on what you are doing. I record with my electronic stethoscope but play with my acoustic steths.

I would love to have an electronic one for the pure ease in recording. Electronics have nothing on the look and feel of all my traditional scopes.

Electronic stethoscopes were developed to help people with hearing loss examine patients. They still haven't achieved the sound quality of the better acoustic models, but some models are handy for recording. From a fetish standpoint I think an acoustic scope provides a more direct connection to your patient.

Traditional for the reasons Octavia gave

Thank you, Dr Dan

It is also the reason why I prefer a mercury Bp sphygmo to an electric.

The kortkov sounds are a total turn on..

I much prefer the look of a traditional stethoscope. The sounds aren't a priority for me, more the symbolism aspect.

I much prefer the look of a traditional stethoscope. The sounds aren't a priority for me, more the symbolism aspect.

Rockdoc: That's it. Exactly! You've got it. It has indeed much to do with symbolism - the Stethoscope aa a symbol of power.

Would like to steth a female play patient with a good electronic stethoscope, might help get a good listen to the ticker of a woman with big breasts, but overall I like a good cardiology stethoscope of the acoustic variety on my patient's bare chest. Hearing my patient's heart sounds clearly is important to me. I appreciate a beautiful pair of breasts as much as anyone, but listening to a woman's heart is more exciting to me than seeing and touching her breasts.

Thank you, Dr Dan

It is also the reason why I prefer a mercury Bp sphygmo to an electric.

The kortkov sounds are a total turn on..

Lucky girl😃

Of all the sphygs I own, a mercury unit is not on the list. Always wanted one though😃

I agree totally. The Korotkoff sounds are a huge turn on. Everything about BP is a turn on to me. Love taking a BP by palpation as well. Palpation first, then by auscultation.

Traditional. The electric has some advantages, but is not such a great fun.

For me it's got to be a traditional steth

This is a good question ... The traditional stethoscope is definitely more beautiful as an object. It has a strong "erotic" is for the material in which it is made (I love the glossy silicone tubing) that for the shape. From the point of view of the stethoscope classic acoustic sound can be very intense, especially for the inexperienced, but it's always very sweet and delicate. The electronic stethoscope has the advantage of amplifying the very sound and eliminate background noises. This can create a situation of greater involvement because the sound is very pervasive though unfortunately more "metallic".

If someone would give me a littmann 3200 I wouldn't refuse it, but it's so horribly expensive

You see http://medicalmanuscript.blogspot.ru/2012/07/blog-post_26.html

Very nice link

...ja nje gabariju po russki - but a very, very sexy Stethoscope, indeed !!!

Thank you.

I can understand using an electronic stethoscope has its advantages but nothing beats the allure and mystery of a traditional stethoscope.

Definitely the acoustic much more organic and the feel of it for me and my paitent feels nicer, more sensual. I would only use an electronic to record heartsounds

I prefer traditional but in some cases when heartbeat is very silent i use electronic littmann

I am a traditionalist in almost every way, and I would very much prefer to have a skillful diagnostician with a low-tech instrument invoke his experience and judgement. It feels much more intimate, and much more direct.

I would much rather be examined with an acoustic. I watch a lot of auscultation videos and hate when they use the electronic one, for some reason.

Acoustic stethoscope but wouldn't mind trying out an electronic model

I did try a friend's electronic scope once and the sound quality was ok. I would not mind having one but they are a bit more than I want to pay.

I think that if I did have one, I would continue to use the acoustic scope for at least part of the exam; maybe using the electronic to record and play back sounds to the patient