Stethoscope tubing length ?

My doctor uses a stethoscope with much shorter tubing than I have noticed on other stethoscopes. Is there a purpose to longer or shorter tubing other than personal preference?

Yes. As part of the development of the Rappaport Sprague stethoscope a number of factors were investigated including tubing length, bore diameter and wall thickness. Their research did suggest a correlation between sound intensity and tubing length, with the shorter length tubing better for increased sound intensity.

I expect there is a compromise between shorter tubes with their better acoustics, and longer tubes which are probably more convenient for the doctor, as well as keeping some distance between them and the patient 😃

Generally these days we find Stethoscopes with 27'' tubing, but there are a few with shorter tubing like a version from Allen Welch that comes with 22'' tubing. Have you seen one of these smaller tubing stethoscope at your doctor? Do you own a stethoscope with a shorter tubing? I find it incredibly erotic to imagine being examined by a lady doctor with a stethoscope of shorter tube. I would also find it exciting to steth a female patient with such a stethoscope, being so much closer to her. Please share your experiences and opinions.

The shorter tubing ones are rare because they do not have as much use medically as the longer ones. Example er medicine or ems or icu nursing. The shorter ones tend to be more popular in mental health nursing where anything around the neck can be a risk.

I had a medical exam once at my employers occupational health dept. The stethoscope used on my chest looked a lot shorter in length than any other occasion. I can actually remember feeling a little uncomfortable as the doctor was a lot closer to me than usual.

The longer length tubing increases lower frequencies and thus the ability to hear low pitched heart sounds. Also it minimizes back strain from bending. Myself, I don't care to be that close to any patient no matter what the sex.

I have two Welch Allyn scopes - a Harvey elite and a DLX. The Elite is about 8 cm shorter than the DLX, and the DLX is about the same length as the Littman scopes I have. The sound quality from the Welch Allyn scopes is excellent, even the Elite with its shorter tubing.

My EMS stethescope has dual-bells and is about 22" long. Interesting observation by Liquidsky about the shorter length affecting the tonal quality! Perhaps that is why I had difficulty with hearing lower-tone sounds through it on my EMS patients. The noisy environment probably did not help either.

In my personal nursing opinion we were always taught and I still believe that a shorter tube provides better sound. I still use the Littman my parents bought me when I graduated from nursing school years ago. I just measured it and it has a 20 inch tube on it. My electric LIttman has an even shorter tube but I have it out on loan at the moment so I can measure it. We were also taught that it's best to have the single tube instead of a double tube which I also agree with. With a double tube you have to hold real still and so does your patient because the tubes can rub together and make you think you are hearing something you are not, or make you not hear something you should.

Mashie