Littmann Cardiology IV Stethoscope Review

Littmann Cardiology IV Stethoscope is a Littmann’s stethoscope with superior and improved acoustic than its ancestor classic III. In addition, the two extra ear tips, one soft, one hard, and a non-chill with a seven-year warranty, give peace of mind to the user.

There is no doubt that Littman is one of the best manufacturers when it comes to stethoscopes. They are responsible for creating many stethoscopes for every use, from students to experienced medical professionals. One of them is 3m Littmann cardiology iv stethoscope reviews, which are more than 9500 on the Amazon with 4.8 stars out of 5. This is an indication of its popularity, performance, and quality.

Cardiology IV has 60 present deep and 40 % larger chest pieces, which give it more performance than classic III. This stethoscope is good for more advanced uses. According to Littman, it can provide the acoustic performance of level 9.

Aside from the chest piece, it also features dual lumen tubing, which is more efficient and accurate than the single one. They are designed for cardiologist specialists, but since they have high performance, they can also be used by other medical professionals who might not need cardiology grade performance daily.

This is also a good choice for your medical school. You are a cardiology student or from another medical discipline if you don’t mind spending extra money and prefer the quality over cost. They are made of many premium materials and will last many years in your possession before any need for replacement. The seven-year warranty on these stethoscopes also makes sure it lasts more than seven years without any issue.

The chest piece also has a dual side which makes it more versatile ideal for assessing both adult and pediatric patients. Like most of the Littmann stethoscopes, It is also tunable, which means you will get more information without moving it too much, which will allow you to listen to the patient’s heartbeat and check blood pressure lungs even in the critical environment like the emergency room and intensive care unit, where the accurate assessment of the patient’s condition is essential in making sound judgment and treatment.  

This 3M Littmann cardiology IV offers a wide choice of vibrant colors for the tubing and finishes for the chest pieces, making this product more attractive. Additionally, the design is smooth and sleek, adding to its appeal.

Now let us present you with a more detailed review of the 3m Littmann cardiology iv stethoscope features.

Littmann Cardiology IV Stethoscope Review

Chest Piece

Material 

The chest piece is made of high-quality steel, as all premium stethoscopes are made of. Stainless steel chest pieces are superior to any other material like aluminum when it comes to acoustic performance. That’s why stainless steel is more expensive than other materials. Stainless steel is also more durable and smooth.

Dual Headed Chest Piece

Most of the cardiology stethoscope on the market has single-headed chest piece, but this one features the dual head. The bigger side has the adult size, and the opposite is a pediatric chest piece, making it a more versatile option when dealing with patients of different ages. 

Furthermore, the pediatric size can also be converted to an open bell by simply removing the diaphragm, making cleaning easier and giving different diagnoses options. The ability to rotate the chest piece is also saved struggles and reduces the stress on the tube.

Turnable Diaphragm 

Since it is a dual-sided chest piece, both of the diaphragms are tunable, which will allow you to listen to the high and low-frequency sound through the same site by simply adjusting the pressure.

If you want to listen to the low-frequency sound, lightly press the chest piece, this will allow the diaphragm to resonate with the low-frequency sound. Like heartbeat and knock off the sound. On either hand, if you firmly press the chest piece, it will restrict the vibration of the diaphragm, and you will be able to listen to the high-frequency sound like breathing which will allow determining whether there is fluid in the lungs.

The main advantage of the tunable diaphragm is that it saves time which is vital in critical environments, and you can get more information about the patient’s condition without moving the chest piece and compare between high and low frequencies.

Non-chill rim

The chest piece also has a non-chill rim around both diaphragms that are good insulators of the heat and will not cause discomfort to the patient in the cold environment, which is a common issue with metal. Since the pediatric side of the chest piece can also be converted into the open bell design, the Littmann also includes the non-chill rim in the box so both patient and your convenience.

Diameter

The chest piece of the cardiology IV is larger, which is good in terms of acoustic performance and accuracy. The diameter of the adult side of the chest piece is 1.7 inches / 4.3cm, and the pediatric side is 1.3 inches / 3.3cm.

According to Littmann, the chest piece is 40 % larger, and its bell is 60 % deeper, offering more accurate sound than the Littmann classic III, another popular stethoscope by Littmann. In addition, the height of the chest piece is 29 mm as comparison classic III has only 20 mm.

Finishes 

Now functionality aside, let’s talk about the appearance of the chest piece. Although color and finishes do not offer a functional advantage, it does affect it either. This is because the appearance of the stethoscope is also crucial for the user. 

This model gives you the option to choose from, Rainbow, high Rainbow, black, brass, mirror, smoke, high smoke, high champagne, and champagne finish. The stems of the chest piece also offer a different finish variant than the chest piece.

A stethoscope is an essential tool for medical professionals. However, they wear them around their neck when they are not using them, so choosing different colors according to your personality is a good option.

Tubing

Now let evaluate the backbone of the stethoscope, which is the tubing. Tubing is the crucial part that affects the performance of the stethoscope. Because it is responsible for transmitting the sound from the chest piece to the headset, no matter how high the chest piece is, it will not be effective if the tubing is not suitable. Thanks to the excellent quality of the tubing on this stethoscope, it performs well. 

Dual-Lumen

3m Littmann cardiology IV stethoscope features high-quality dual lumen tubing. The dual lumen tubing is more superior to single-lumen tubing. The tube of this stethoscope is very thick. This has a dual lumen feature.

In dual-lumen, the tube has two separate paths instead of one for each ear, ensuring the sound transmission is accurate and without any loss. The thickness also makes sure no sound is lost and no external sound interferes. That way, no bias is introduced to the reading.

Length 

It comes with the length choice of 27 inches and 22 inches, but the most commonly it can be found in the 27 inches length, which is long enough for the doctor to check the patient without any significant discomfort. And the length of the tubing also affects the performance of the stethoscope because sound has to travel longer, which will cause some loss. 

When it comes to the durability of the tubing, it is also got you covered. The dense tick tubing not just allows you to offer good acoustic but also makes it more durable. Which in return enables it to last much longer without any replacement change.

Latex Free

Littman claims that their tubing is not made of natural rubber, which is suitable for people with sensitive skin or treats patients with sensitive skin. Most commonly, the medical professionals put the stethoscope is around their neck, which can be a problem if someone has an allergy.

They are also phthalate plasticizers free, which is another chemical used to soften the PVC and is considered harmful to the environment. This also shows the organization’s contribution to the environment.

Colour 

Colour is important because it lets you personalize something according to your personality and indirectly affects your mood. Littmann also offers a wide range of coloring choices for the tubing, ranging from black, plum Raspberry Caribbean Blue, Gray, Navy, Hunter Green, Rose Pink, Burgundy, etc.

Headset And Eartips

If you have used a Littmann stethoscope before, you know that their ear tips are of excellent quality and make the tight seal in the ear and still comfortable on the ear. If you don’t have soft ear tips, it also comes with a hard ear tips pair.

The headset also has an on-off snap design for the ear tips, which will not come off easily and will not cause any problem. 

Colour

There is only two finish option on the headset; one is metal finish, and one color option, black. While that might not seem like many options, it is the option that is most popular. These options also go well with the tubing color it offers.

Weight 

Weight is also a factor that can be considered when buying the stethoscope because you will carry it around during the long shifts. It weighs approximately 177g which is nearly 6.2 oz which might look a little much, but for cardiology stethoscopes, it is the aspected weight. 

Price And Warranty 

They do cast little when it comes to the price, although the different colors and finish choices have different prices. But for comparison, the black tubing one cost nearly two hundred dollars curranty, which might not be in everyone’s budget, but then again, it is a cardiology grade stethoscope.

The warranty on this stethoscope is seven years which is pretty decent. Warranty means if any material-related defect happens in the warranty time, it will be repaired free of charge. In cases of obvious abuse, this will not be the case.

Verdict

3m Littmann cardiology iv stethoscope is one of the most superior performance stethoscopes that Littmann manufactures. It has all the features that are necessary for experienced medical professionals. This one is for you if you prefer quality and performance over the cost. The seven-year warranty also makes sure they last more than seven years without any problem.

Pros:

• Cardiology grade
• Stainless steel chest piece
• Superior and improved acoustic performance
• Wide range of finishes and colors variation to choose from
• Dual headed chest piece
• Adult and pediatric size with open bell convertible
• Dual-lumen tubing 
• Non-chill rim for extra comfort
• Comfortable soft and hard ear tips
• Ideal for critical environments like ICU
• Latex and phthalate plasticizers free tubing
• 7-year warranty 

Cons:

• There are a little expensive
• People may find it a bit heavy  

FAQ’s

Q. What is the difference between Littmann Cardiology IV and Classic III?

1. One of the main differences between Littmann’s classic and cardiology is acoustics. Cardiology IV has superior acoustic than the classic III. The classic III is useful in monitoring and assessing the patient. On the other hand, the IV is for more critical environments like ICU and ER can listen to the more sensitive sound. Cardiology IV is the improved version of the classic III and has a 40 % more large and 60 %more deep bell design. 

Summing Up

3m Littmann cardiology iv stethoscope is the most elite stethoscope of the Littman from the cardiology grade category. This detailed 3m Littmann cardiology iv stethoscope review is prepared better to explain the performance and quality of this stethoscope. Its exact and superior acoustics are ideal for medical environments such as ICUs and ERs, and the dual-head chest piece makes it more versatile.