Dangerous heart defects are usually about the last thing on a new parent’s mind when they are bringing their newborn home from the hospital. As long as the baby looks healthy, they are only too happy to check out of the hospital and bring their new bundle of joy home. However, critical congenital heart defects (CHD) that are not diagnosed soon after birth can cause serious problems after babies go home – even death. And heart problems are not as rare as most people think. Heart defects are one of the most common types of birth defects, and about 1 out of every 125 babies is born with a congenital heart defect.

Fortunately, many heart defects are treatable and babies born with these heart defects can go on to lead active, productive lives. But a baby can’t receive treatment unless someone realizes there is a heart defect present. It is estimated that hundreds of American babies die each year because they were born with heart defects that were treatable, but unfortunately were not detected in time. When a newborn is seen by a pediatrician before being discharged from the hospital, the doctor will listen to the baby’s heart with a stethoscope to make sure the heart sounds like it is working properly. This method can pick up on some heart defects, but unfortunately it does not pick up on everything. Babies need further evaluation to detect the presence of other types of heart defects. However, additional screening for heart defects is not usually done in most hospitals.

Why aren’t all babies being screened for heart defects so they can receive the appropriate treatment? You might think it is difficult or expensive to screen newborns for heart defects, which explains why it is not being done in most cases. But the truth is, screening newborns for heart defects is fast, easy, cheap, non-invasive, and only requires standard equipment that is already available in every hospital!

All it takes to detect many of these heart defects is to use pulse oximetry to measure the amount of oxygen in the baby’s blood. A pulse oximeter is a small monitor that can be strapped to a newborn’s foot and beam light through the foot to determine the level of oxygen saturation in the blood. It doesn’t hurt the baby, and it only takes about a minute. Pulse oximeters are essential pieces of medical equipment that are used regularly to monitor patients. New advancements in pulse oximetry technology have lead to even more accurate and easy to use monitors, like the Nellcor N-65 OxiMax Pulse Oximeter. The Nellcor N65 is a convenient handheld device that can monitor oxygen saturation and pulse rates. It uses the latest digital signal processing technology to provide more accurate readings over a wider range of measurements, and it’s even resistant to signal interference. If hospitals were to use pulse oximeters like the Nellcor N65 to screen newborns for heart defects, they would be assured of the most reliable results, and the testing itself would be fast and simple to perform.

Research studies have proven that pulse oximetry is an effective way to catch most congenital heart defects. On July 6, 2009, the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement reviewing the current research. They conclude that using it to screen newborns is effective, low-cost, and safe. Based on their conclusion it seems obvious that pulse oximetry is something that should be recommended for all newborns, but these organizations stop short of actually saying pulse oximetry should be used to screen all babies. Instead, they recommend more research before they will decide whether this should become standard of care.

However, as Dr. Darshak Sanghavi, a pediatric cardiologist, explains in a New York Times blog, parents don’t have to wait for this life-saving test to be accepted as the standard. Parents can simply ask a nurse or doctor to use pulse oximetry to screen their newborn for heart defects before leaving the hospital. The ideal time to use pulse oximetry is after 24 hours of life but before being discharged from the hospital. The test should not cost anything since the hospital already has the equipment.
What parent wouldn’t want the assurance of this simple test?

This time, we’ll compare the high-performance cardiology stethoscopes. Check back soon for a guide to the Littmann Classic II and Select models, as well as a look at the new electronic stethoscopes.

3M Littmann Cardiology III Stethoscope

The Cardiology III is probably the most popular Littmann stethoscope out there. General practitioners, pediatricians, medical students, EMTs and nurses will tell you they wouldn’t trade in their Card III for the world. Why does everyone love this stethoscope? The Cardiology III provides excellent acoustics, both in terms of loudness and clarity. What sets it apart from the other Littmann cardiology scopes, however, is its impressive versatility. It has a double head with a tunable diaphragm on each side – the large side for adults, the small side for children. The smaller diaphragm also works well for irregular surfaces, such as bony patients. The hallmark Littman tunable diaphragm allows you to hear low- and high-frequency sounds without turning the chestpiece over. Use light pressure on the chest piece to hear the low-frequency sounds (bell mode), and firm pressure to hear the high-frequency sound (diaphragm mode). The Cardiology III can also be converted to a traditional bell by replacing the pediatric diaphragm with a bell sleeve. The Cardiology III comes with a five year warranty.

Is this the right stethoscope for you? If you are ready to invest in a Littmann cardiology stethoscope, you will be rewarded by the superb acoustics of the Cardiology III. And if you are looking for a versatile stethoscope that is suited to examining any type of patient, this is your scope.

3M Littmann Cardiology STC Stethoscope

The Cardiology STC, or “Soft Touch Cardiology,” also delivers outstanding acoustics, as you would expect from any Littmann cardiology stethoscope.  In addition, the innovative chest piece is specially designed to be easy to hold in various hand positions. The unique shape of the Cardiology STC chest piece facilitates movement between auscultation sites. The single-sided, tunable diaphragm enables you to easily switch between the bell and diaphragm mode without the bulk of a double-sided scope, like the Cardiology III. EMTs and nurses appreciate that the sleek design of the Cardiology STC fits under blood pressure cuffs more easily than a dual-head stethoscope. The Cardiology STC comes with a six year warranty. If you are working primarily with adults, and looking for unparalleled acoustics and ease of use, the Cardiology STC was made for you.

3M Littmann Master Cardiology Stethoscope

The Master Cardiology is Littmann’s top-performing acoustic stethoscope. With superior acoustics and a 10 out of 10 Littman performance rating, this stethoscope is ideal for users who want the greatest diagnostic precision. Similar to the Cardiology STC, the Master Cardiology offers the convenience of a tunable diaphragm in a single-sided chest piece. The classy, hand crafted stainless steel   definitely makes a statement and is also easier to hold than a dual-head. A special procedures adaptor is ideal for difficult sites or pediatric use. The Master Cardiology comes with a seven year warranty - the longest Littman warranty available. The Master Cardiology may be what you’re looking for if you need the best acoustic stethoscope available for high-performance auscultation.

The difference in price between these three models is slight, so base your decision on the design and features that are most important to you. Whether you select the versatility of the Cardiology III, the ergonomic design of the Cardiology STC, or the top-of-the-line acoustics of the Master Cardiology, you can be confident that your new Littman cardiology stethoscope will serve you well for many years.

Not sure these are the right scopes for you? Check back soon for the 3M Littmann Acoustic Stethoscope Buyer’s Guide: Part 2 to learn about the Littmann Classic II and Select models.

Share your stethoscope advice below by leaving a comment. Which model do you find works best for your field?

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