Digital Stethoscope Offers New Capabilities

A new digital stethoscope not only offers superior clarity of sound but can also be used to save and record heart and lung readings. Furthermore, new software allows these sounds be printed, faxed, and/or sent via e-mail or over the Internet by patients or doctors to colleagues, doctors, and hospitals.

The stethoscope, called e-steth, allows a doctor to detect sounds that are barely audible or inaudible using conventional instruments, such as aortic regurgitation, pericardial friction rub, and pleural rub, says the marketer, e-med innovations (Dallas, TX, USA). Lung sounds are distinctively audible with the e-steth, providing clear identification of pleural noise that allows early diagnosis of pleurisy.

The ability to save and record heart and lung readings permits doctors to make a remote diagnosis. For example, heart patients at home could easily and quickly record their heartbeat into the e-steth, and then send it in nanoseconds to their doctor. New visualization software called CardioMail enables the e-steth sounds to be sent via e-mail or over the Internet. The e-steth was designed in France by a company called IRIS, which was acquired by e-med innovations in October 2000. e-steth is already used in some general practices and cardiology units in Europe.

"The sound quality is so pure, physicians can discern the difference even over the Internet,” reports Jean-Pierre Arnaudo, president of e-med innovations.



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