fetal dopplers

[tangent]

Anyone try one of these? - can the "moc-pro" mommy reassurance aids be used to medical advantage - OB or fx dx?

they have more robust units - laptop anyone?

-t

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/2003_10.php

Fetal Doppler
Home-based baby heartbeat monitor
Every pregnant woman eventually (and sometimes periodically) has the awful thought, "What if it died in there?" Most women at that point have to spend some time either distracting themselves from the awful notion or talking themselves out of it.

Not me!

That's because I have a fetal doppler, a gizmo that allows me to hear my baby's heartbeat. A fetal doppler is about the size of an old Sony Walkman tape player. Attached to a curly phone-style cord is a wand shaped a bit like a microphone. Smear some ultrasound conductive gel ( KY will work in a pinch) on the end and put the tip of the microphone against your abdomen about where you think the baby is, and, Bingo, instant mental relief. Safer than a sedative, faster than meditation, cheaper than therapy.



My fetal doppler device is manufactured by Danatech. While there are companies who are focused on selling and renting fetal dopplers direct to consumers, they are also widely available on eBay, where I got mine, and you may be able to find a bargain. I highly recommend getting a doppler unit with an LCD screen that includes heart-rate readout, as it makes it easier to distinguish the sound of your own heart rate (somewhere around 60-80 for most of us at rest) and your baby's (quite a bit higher, often 120-140).
Expect to pay between $150 for a unit without an LCD screen and up to $250 for one with an LCD screen.

-- Lisa Williams

Rentals are available at Stork Radio
$50 per month

http://www.storkradio.com/


Made by Danatech


http://www.danatechmedical.com/engindex2.htm

[RESQDOC]

We use 'em all the time in the hospital, but they are fragile, expensive, and need power. Home use? <Rant Mode On> Just another marketing gimmick targeting scared parents. 1. You cannot diagnose fetal distress by “spot check” heart rate monitoring 2. You cannot prevent fetal demise by “spot check” heart rate monitoring 3. It focus’ the patient’s attention on illness and poor outcomes rather than wellness and a healthy, happy pregnancy experience 4. Relief of patient fear is accomplished by proper education and support by the patient’s midwife, physician, etc. This is yet another symptom of the problems western society has made for itself in “management” of pregnancy. <Rant Mode Off>

A "fetascope" is just a type of stethoscope that can be used to hear heart tones with a fair amount of ease. A regular stethoscope with a bell head works just as well with a little patience.

[tangent]

uh - yeah, but this used the term "Doppler", which suggests that it might be a serious tool vs just a "mommy pacifier".

their more expensive units definitely look like serious tools and way out of the consumer market price range.

so the Q remains - are these "moc-pro" units good enough to do serious dx, given the knowledge of how to interpret ultrasound results?

-t

[Craig]

Tangent,
The answer is yes they are - for what they are designed for. However I think you may be confusing different types of US though - the hand held doppler probes use doppler US waves - but just give you an audiosignal - in this case a fetal heart - but we also use them for assessing vascular flow in compromised limbs - its not the 2-D visual US you may be thinking of. Hence they are much much cheaper

Craig

[tangent]

OK - "LCD screen" threw me in the description.

how about this one:

http://www.letmedical.com/danatech.htm

DMS-301/302
Ultra-compact, high performance diagnostic ultrasound imaging, providing maximum benefit to cost ratio, DMS-301 is an economical solution to the specific clinical needs of today's ultrasound health care providers.

Portable design, weight less than 5 Kg.
Quick, electronic switching between two transducers with the touch of a button (DMS-302).
Comprehensive measurement and analysis package.
Six user definable applications, customized for each transducer, in all imaging modes.
Storage of two digitalized images.
Easy to use program with Windows® - like menus.
Simple keypad and external trackball and keyboard operation.
Incorporates obstetrics and cardiac report packages as a standard feature.
Choice of AC and battery powered operation (DMS-301/302V) for extended versatility.
6 inches high resolution display.

or the 302 one above it - but on a laptop instead of a PC.

-t

[Craig]

Tangent,
An USS is a nice extra if you have absoultely everything else you could want. There value in third world medicine is limited. There are many good small US units available - they are excellent for basic sonography - but why would you want one ? I can think of many things I have first.

Craig

[tangent]

I'm not sure how usefully these are for OB, but had the idea they fell into the "nice extra" category.

Personally, I'm more interested in their unconventional applications - specifically fx dx. tuning forks are nice, in that they can tell w/ 95% confidence you have a fx between point A and B, they can't tell exactly where, what kind of fx or how many fx's. They are also are likely to be wanting in telling if a bone has been correctly set. In short, they can be used as an alternative to an X-Ray machine. The trade off is in training.

I've been interested in portable equipment and in particular, sensors that could be interfaced to a CBL or a laptop that add medical potential. Given a laptop with appropriate interface boards and software it's possible to have a single machine that will do ultrasound, EKG, EEG, and many lab tests like pH, testing for ion concentration, temp, radiation, etc. There are plans for many sensors and others that are commercially available for a wide variety of things. Oxymeter, etc is certainly possible. It is likely that a compact unit might be "homebrewed" and calibrated w/ several shelves worth of commercial equipment for a fraction of the cost and size of that commercial equipment.

-t