Cochlear implants and stethoscopes?

[deafnurseintx]

Hi, I'm a new poster on AN, have been reading for a while. I know this board isn't very active but I feel this where I can find the specialized answers I need.

About me:

Legally hearing impaired. 100% sensorineural loss in my right ear, severe sensorineural impairment in left ear. I lost my hearing from meningitis as a toddler. I have been mainstream my whole life as I *usually* can carry on daily functions without even the need for an aid. I do wear a mini-BTE on my left ear that I love.

I am also an L&D nurse, formerly nursery/NICU, telemetry/step-down, and ortho trauma. I have been a nurse for 6.5 years, and am in my first semester of my master's, working towards my FNP.

My first stethoscope was a Cardionics E-scope. I didn't love it, but it was all that was available in 2008 when I started nursing school. I now use a Littmann Electronic 3100. I can use it with my aid in, but it works better with my aid out. I love it because I use it like a normal stethoscope, and it is really helpful in identifying murmurs in newborns.

So now to my question.

I have been having serious sinus/allergy issues for the past several months that impact my hearing. What little hearing I do have, goes away completely when my sinuses get clogged. I've been in and out of my ENT's office and they're at a loss. Steroids are the only things that help, but I can't stay on those forever for fear of messing up my adrenal system and putting me at risk for diabetes. My primary ENT told me this morning that cochlear implants are probably in my future. I asked about compatibility with stethoscopes, and he said, "maybe." As in, maybe I might be able to find some compatibility.

Does anyone with a CI use a stethoscope, and what kind?

Thank you!

p.s. any stories about working with patients with a CI, and just any stories/tips about adjusting to a CI, would be great. I've been dreading this and am very anxious about it. I'm a planner by nature, so if I could know what to expect, it would decrease my anxiety. Thank you again.

[lisagish]

Hi! I've seen several posts on a few Facebook groups for cochlear implants and on hearingjourney.com about stethoscopes that work well with CIs. I don't work in a clinical setting any longer but you can definitely find good recommendations. Good luck!!

[Natiel]

I have profound senorineural hearing loss from meningitis in both ears too! I've been trying out the Thinklabs One, which is basically just a stethoscope bell that has electronics in it. It can wirelessly connect to CIs via a streamer, it works pretty well for me and my hearing aids, I think. Still playing around with it though.

[DefmamaNurse]

I have a cochlear implant and I use a stethoscope. It connects directly to the CI. Here is a link....

Using a Stethoscope with a Cochlear Implant Linn Tearney Cochlear Implants Assistive Devices 271

I got headphones to go with it as well while I was in school. It allowed my professors to listen along with me and guide me as to what types of lung sounds were what as well as heart sounds.

[SouthpawRN]

I am a Deaf nursing student (BSN) and have Bilateral CI's, (since 2004/7) I am also fluent in ASL and have interpreters in all my classes and clinical rotations. I have the Thinklabs one and it works well. But there the things I don't like about it. First holding the stechoscope with is basically just an electronic chest piece that you plug headphones into, caused the stethoscope to pickup sounds of your fingers rubbing against the chestpiece. It's that sensitive.. the second thing is that you cannot hang it around your neck and i hate having the headphones around my neck all day.

A couple weeks ago I just finished building my Frankenscope (Frankenstein built partially by me and combination of other parts) I bought the EKO inline amplifier (EKODevices.com) then ordered the standard Ultrascope that claims to have excellent acoustics. However I am not impressed with their product or construction. the plus is the lifetime warranty on it. you can just log onto their website and order parts free.

The problem with all standard stethoscopes is that you need a cup to go over the microphone on the top of your ear, and standard stethoscopes are not long enough to reach from the top of the ear without the hinge hitting your chin. So I made new tubes using some stainless tubing and TIG welding the spring of the Ultrascope onto the new tubing and bending it to shape. Ifound some rubber gumballs (for lack of a better word) which I cut the balls off the end and drilled holes in to cover the mics.

I have not had a chance to use it much but I does work... It's is more about tweaking the mapping of the CI to hear better with.

The real issue is that a CI sounds nothing like a hearing and and can take years to get good at listening with it. They also suck in background noise. Basically worthless in those situations and I still have to rely on lipreading and I have been bilateral for a decade. Do NOT believe all the hype about CI's. They are awesome in that they let me do this profession, but they are far from perfect. Nurses and patients with strong accents are a real challenge, esp the Filipino nurses.

If you think you can get a CI and be back up and working and hearing well at work after a couple months, you will be in for one heck of a shock. Occasionally some folks are successful like that but the outcomes are completely individualized and unpredictable. OK, I gotta get back to working on these damn concept maps...

Here is what the original Ultrascope tubing looked like, see how it is crimped and squished, it was also only 0.192"OD, not the standard 0.250" OD