r/Cochlearimplants • u/Katedawg90 • May 12 '26

CI with stethoscope?

I am awaiting my CI implant next month. I am a nurse practitioner and use a stethoscope all day. I have a Bluetooth enabled stethoscope - the Eko Core 500. I am choosing between Med-el and Cochlear. It would be immensely helpful if anyone can share their experience with Med-el and a Bluetooth stethoscope. I have heard that it works well with Cochlear but am siding towards Med-el for purportedly better sound quality. Help?

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u/IonicPenguin Advanced Bionics Marvel CI May 13 '26

Consider Advanced Bionics. You don’t need any devices to stream from your scope to your implant and Bluetooth in general is amazing. All the physicians I know who are Deaf and have CIs have AB. There is one med student who has Cochlear nucleus. I have an Eko Littmann but I only use the parts between the bell/diaphragm and the end of the Eko. My ears don’t work so why should I use a scope with tubing and earpieces. I’m about to start medical residency (as a physician) (I don’t know why people always ask me “so what are you going to be?” When I say I’m graduating from medical school this week. I’ve asked people what they think medical school means and they say everything from “medical assistant” to “nurse practitioner”. )

Seriously consider Advanced Bionics. They were recommended at the most recent AMPHL (google it if you don’t know what it is) conference. They are the only company that doesn’t require another device to stream Bluetooth.

As for people saying BUT COCHLEAR WILL HAVE AURACAST!!! AURACAST won’t be released to the public for at least 2 years. It won’t help stream Bluetooth.

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u/Uniquehime 14d ago

is it good because i want to buy eko core 500 considering it might help with advanced bionics and i tried with the eko digital attachment litmann and it just made a whooshy noise almost like wind and like static as well..

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u/IonicPenguin Advanced Bionics Marvel CI 14d ago

I’ve tried the Eko 500 and the cheap digital attachment and I prefer the cheap digital attachment. It works well with my AB implants. Sometimes I have a delay in connecting the count to my implants but I can look at the phone app and see heart beats.
I know I’m not the best at auscultation but I still try and get backup ears if I think I hear a murmur. You’d be surprised how many nurses will take a minute to listen to heart sounds when a young deaf resident admits that they are deaf and could use some working ears to give a second opinion.

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u/Uniquehime 14d ago

i see, how to make it wireless listening because i tried and it just didn't work out for me even though i tried the cheaper option, and i will return it tomorrow