Technical Description of a 3M Littmann Select Stethoscope

Introduction:
The first stethoscope was discovered in 1819 by a young
French physician who was too embarrassed to place his ear to
womens chest. From then to now there have been many
improvements, reducing the weight and improving acoustic
quality. Today there are a wide array of styles and designs available in all types of medicine. The
Littmann Select Stethoscope is a lightweight non battery operated stethoscope that offers the
portable convenience of a single-sided chest piece that alternates between low and high
frequency with the pressure of touch.
The length of the stethoscope is 28/71 cm and the total weight is 90 grams. The single sided
chest piece weighs 25 grams. The stethoscope has a single lumen (tube) with firm ear tips. The
stethoscope is designed to be a lightweight durable stethoscope with a tunable diaphragm
designed to hear both high and low frequencies just by adjusting pressure on the chest piece.

Ear Tips

Headset

Ear tube

Single Lumen/
Tubing

Purpose:
Chest piece
The stethoscope is
sounds made by the body.

Littmann.com
an instrument used

to listen to

Mainly used to listen to the lungs,

heart, intestine and blood flow in both humans and animals. Many health care providers like
doctors or nurses use it. The stethoscope would be very useful in an emergency situation inside
the medical bag to be sure that everyones heart and lungs are working properly when checking
in on the survivors health.

General Use and Maintenance:

Avoid extreme temperatures.

Dont use solvents and oils on the stethoscope.
To clean the stethoscope use a 70% alcohol wipe or soapy water.
Never fully submerge the stethoscope in any liquid.

Changing Frequency
Low Frequencies

To listen to low frequency sounds the

person using the stethoscope must use

very light skin to skin contact.

Proper
Insertion

Incorrect
Correct
Positioning
Positioning

How to use a stethoscope:

1. Align the headset/ear tips facing forward in the ear. If placed
backwards no sounds will be heard.
2. Select a quiet place to use the stethoscope, to ensure all the body
sounds will be heard.
3. Position the chest piece on the patient accordingly.
4. Decide which frequency you will use, the lighter the pressure the
High Frequencies
better it is for low frequency sounds and vice versa.
5. Listen
for the
a full minute, the normal sounds of the human heart is
To listen to high frequency
sounds
lub-dub
person using the sthethoscope
must or like the sound of a steady drum beat.
press firmly on the chestpiece.
Conclusion:
1. Make sure to have a fully functioning stethoscope.
2. Place the ear tips in the correct position.
3. Place the chest piece to the chest and listen quietly for a
minute.

Headset Adjustment:
The Littmann Select Stethoscope is designed to accommodate the anatomy of the ear canal.
To place the ear tips correctly inside the ear canal place them in forward direction.

References

7 Ways to Use a Stethoscope - wikiHow. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17, 2016, from
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Stethoscope
Retrieved from http://store6.yimg.com/I/egeneralmedical_1619_2051336
Retrieved from http://www.littmann.com/3MContentRetrievalAPI/BlobServlet?
lmd=1307415600000&locale=en_WW&assetType=MMM_Image&assetId=12736855134
58&blobAttribute=ImageFile
Design Evaluation Using FEA - The HeartThrob Stethoscope. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://sites.google.com/site/theheartthrobstethoscope/design-evaluation-using-fea
Stethoscope - procedure, blood, tube, time, infection, operation, heart, types. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/St-Wr/Stethoscope.html