A digital stethoscope, whether electronic or traditional, is most commonly used to listen to lung and heart sounds inside the body as a diagnostic aid. Listening, which has now been accomplished with electronic digital stethoscope for over two hundred years, was done using an aneroid stethoscope for nearly two hundred years. With this new technology came a new understanding of exactly what a stethoscope does and how it is used. Stethoscopy is the process of listening for sounds within the body, specifically through the nose and mouth. These sounds are picked up by the stethoscope and converted into electrical pulses by the aneroid sensor. These pulses are then amplified and sent to a computer via radio or electricity. The digital stethoscope records these noises and converts them into useful sound frequencies for analysis. Due to the unique quality of these sounds, a digital stethoscope has become an integral part of the medical community.
Traditional stethoscopes used either a bell-shaped apparatus called the stethoscope or an ear trumpet called a miter and placed in the ear. Since the aneroid sensor lacked the ability to pick up sound signals from the back of the throat, the traditional stethoscope could not distinguish between different breathing sounds such as those produced by the heart or lungs. This limitation eventually led to the development of the digital stethoscope. A digital stethoscope makes use of a microphone placed in the chest piece. The microphone converts the sound signals into electrical signals that are then sent to a computer.
With advances in technology, the design of both the stethoscope and the electronic stethoscope has changed dramatically. A traditional stethoscope is often equipped with a diaphragm and probe that have three to four channels to capture the patient's breathing air pressure. In contrast, the modern electronic stethoscope has only two to five channels. However, the amount of information the device can gather has significantly increased as well. One of the most common types of medical conditions requiring the use of a digital stethoscope is a cardiopulmonary disease. Two types of this disease include congenital heart disease (CHD) and rheumatic fever. Cardiac murmur, rapid, irregular heartbeats, and cough are common symptoms of CHD. Rheumatic fever manifests itself in characteristic pains such as stiffness, localized aches and pains, and fever. A cardiac scan would reveal whether or not the patient had congenital heart disease or rheumatic fever.
Rheumatic fever and CHD both require medical attention as they can cause damage to blood vessels and lead to a heart attack. The best solution to this problem is a digital stethoscope equipped with an acoustic detection system. This acoustic detection system can detect the existence of obstructive coronary artery disease by creating a Doppler echo on the heart's surface. There are two options for using the Doppler method in inpatient care. One option is conductive cardiac massage, which requires the presence of an anesthesiologist or other anesthesiological professional during the procedure. Alternatively, the other option is to conduct cardio-respiratory resuscitation or CPR, which is more easily achieved by the use of the digital stethoscope.
