This article outlines the correct procedure for respiratory assessments using a stethoscope, how to use a stethoscope and how to interpret your findings.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the most common valve anomaly and the most frequent cause of isolated mitral insuffi ciency. MVP has a mostly benign course and prognosis in childhood; however, complications, such as severe mitral regurgitation, infectious endocarditis, pulmonary embolism, arrhythmia and sudden death, occur more often in elderly people, demonstrating the need for prompt diagnosti...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and attitude of medical students towards cleaning their stethoscopes. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out in the first week of December 2013. The study included 771 students (397 in their fourth and 374 in their sixth year) from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia. An anonymous quest...

OBJECTIVES In recent years, the use and portability of ultrasound has threatened the utility of the stethoscope, with many debating and even advocating its replacement. The authors set out to assess opinions in this regard among faculty within a medical school and specifically within an anatomy department where ultrasound is incorporated into the curriculum from the first term. METHODS A deba...

IT is an anachronism that the stethoscope, introduced in 1819, remains an indispensable medical tool today although no standards have ever been set for its acoustical performance.' Neither has a standard test been established for evaluating the acoustics of the intact instrument. Furthermore, there is no information on the intimate acoustical interaction of the stethoscope with the doctors' ear...