Best Budget Stethoscope?
When you’re in search of a new stethoscope there are many factors to consider — the brand, the aesthetics, the functionality and the price.
In this article I take a look at two budget friendly stethoscopes and decipher which one is better — the MD One or the ProCardial Cardiology stethoscope, both by manufactured by MDF.
MD One
This is a general diagnostic stethoscope which is useful as an “all-round” tool. It can be used in most clinical scenarios, from busy ward rounds to general practice. It has the ability to pick up heart sounds and lung sounds easily and in a previous comparison, many thought it performed better than the Littmann classic III.
Features
The stethoscope comes in an array of colours and the non-latex tubing is longer than traditional tubing. This is particularly useful when examining patients with respiratory illnesses so that you can maintain a safe distance.
When placing the stethoscope around the ears, there is much more laxity compared to the Littmann Classic III which can be particularly useful for those with bigger heads. However, with my particular stethoscope, the ear pieces didn’t sit quite right into my canals and required a little fine tuning. They eventually felt more comfortable as time went on.
The ear tips — like all of the MDF stethoscopes, are clear. This is very useful for hygiene purposes as it allows the user to immediately detect any wax or dirt before placing them in the ears.
Auscultating
The chest piece has both a bell and a diaphragm and just like other stethoscopes, this can be activated by turning the chest piece. The MD One also has a non-chill ring, which is to help patients not feel the typical cold feeling of a stethoscope. As a practitioner working in Australia, I am yet to see if this works well.
When it comes to auscultating, heart sounds are clear and loud, however, interference sounds are amplified and even the smallest of movements of the fingers can be heard clearly. In my opinion, the interference is a touch louder than the Littmann Classic III.
ProCardial Cardiology Stethoscope
The ProCardial stethoscope is designed for the cardiologist in mind. It is similar in appearance to the Littmann Cardiology stethoscope.
Features
Aesthetically, the stethoscope has a larger and heavier chest piece than the MD One. It also has the ability to switch between an adult and a paediatric chest piece, which could prove to be useful for different patients. However, as a busy general practitioner, the logistics of changing chest pieces and carrying these around would make it less likely to use. Ultimately, I would just use the adult chest piece, which I am sure would work just as well on paediatric patients.
The tubing, much like the MD One is latex free and is slightly thicker than its counterpart. This proves to be useful with the amplification of sound as discussed a little later on.
Auscultating
Unlike the MD One, there are limited colours to choose from. However, just like the MD One, it has a longer rubber tubing, flexible head fixture and clear ear tips.
When it comes to auscultating, the ProCardial is leaps and bounds clearer than the MD One. It gives clear heart sounds that are amplified well — likely due to its thicker tubing. When it comes to the accidental movement of the fingers during examination, the interference noises are dulled down and are not so prominent.
Conclusion
Though the ProCardial is slightly heavier than the MD One, the quality of the sounds make this a solid budget specialist stethoscope. The MD One is a good entry level stethoscope for general purposes and at the fraction of the price of a general diagnostic Littmann, it is useful for those new to the stethoscope market.
Of course, which ever stethoscope you choose to buy there are many factors to bear in mind other than the price. I personally think that the most valuable stethoscope is one that will auscultate well, be comfortable and most importantly is durable. The last probably being the most important factor given the frequency of its use.
I hope that you have found this article helpful.
Take care and stay healthy,
Dr Nora x
Please note that the contents of this article are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or medical condition.
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