Diagnostic Instruments

[DrBaboon]

Here's a product line of otoscopes that I have not personally tried:

http://www.otoscopes.org/ the regular model

http://www.drmomotoscope.com/ their LED model - unfortunately uses AAA batteries.


I've got 2 wall-mounted units, a traditional hand-held with NiCads, and I have a nice Welch-Allyn pocket set that runs on AA batteries.

In that sense - I don't *NEED* one of these.

OTOH - the value (quality compared to price) looks good to me, and the price is certainly excellent.

This is the kind of instrument that people probably will find helpful, and should learn to use.

If anyone has one, I would love to hear your experience with it - favorable or unfavorable.

I may eventually get around to buying one, mostly for purposes of checking it out.


The 2 tasks that sometimes get done with an otoscope that I don't think are possible with either of these models, are: 1) insufflation (to see if air pressure change in the ear canal moves the ear drum - done primarily to help find perforated ear drums that you haven't located by simple inspection; 2) using it as an operating otoscope - IOW - you cannot pass instruments through the speculum since it's a closed head and has a lens that stays in place.

FWIW - I *rarely* if ever use insufflation, so that would not be a loss for me. YMMV - it might be a desireable capability to someone else.

While I have used operating otoscopes for removal of foreign matter (insects, corn kernals, beans, baby rings) or wax, I generally prefer to do so using both hands and wearing a head lamp. I have tried out a simple LED camping style head lamp for this purpose, and it has worked well enough for me on home visits and nursing home visits, as well as going to "Summer Camp" with it.

So - again - YMMV - the lack of operating otoscope capability might matter to you. I'm OK with or without it.

[Jonas Parker]

Mine's an antique I "inherited" from one of the attendings when his wife bought him an engraved fancy model... it takes "C" batteries. It probably would still work if I could find it after 2 moves.

[DrBaboon]

You might check on the availability of the lightbulbs used in your scope head(s).

My situation with most of my otoscope heads and ophthalmoscope heads is that they use halogen bulbs, which are at least what's been in common use for 20+ years. The good part is that ithey are a standard item, the bad part is that they need to be replaced once in a while. I get several years out of the bulbs most of the time.

It's possible your instrument uses incandescent bulbs, which are sometimes available if you look hard. The tradeoff would seem to be whether it makes more sense for you to get some extra bulbs or if it makes more sense to get a newer instrument to replace it.

I like the LED idea for avoiding replacement of the otoscope bulb. The web site seems to make it look as if you don't expect to have problems with tissue color using the LED. One of the things I am curious about is whether I would get true tissue colors with the LED. My hunch is that there are missing colors from the light the LED produces, even though it appears white, and that's one reason I'd like to check one out.

Even between incandescent bulbs and halogen bulbs, the halogen bulbs give more accurate presentation of tissue colors.

[Jonas Parker]

I inherited mine in 1963... I think it takes a headlight bulb from a '33 Ford... Unfortunately, since the subject came up, I initiated an intense search without success. I have a feeling that somebody at Goodwill has that fine old antique... and I should probably put an otoscope on my Christmas list...