The History and Evolution of the Stethoscope

Abstract

This paper is a summary of the evolution of the stethoscope. It goes through the major stages of stethoscope evolution, starting with the first recorded breath sounds and going all the way to the most recent, entirely automated stethoscope pads. The iconic stethoscope has undergone many changes and evolved with the times to earn its place slung around the neck of a physician. This review traces its journey.

SonicGuard Sensor—A Multichannel Acoustic Sensor for Long-Term Monitoring of Abdominal Sounds Examined through a Qualification Study

“…From analog stethoscopes to better diagnostic tools: While stethoscopes were initially introduced in the early nineteenth century, it took more than hundred years for a revolutionary leap in auscultation to occur with Dr. David Littmann’s patenting of diaphragm-based stethoscopes. This was followed by the development of digital stethoscopes in 1999, which are capable of recording and playing back body sounds [ 10 ]. The need for a new tool to monitor body sounds became even more crucial during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…The need for a new tool to monitor body sounds became even more crucial during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of the high risk of infection and the intensified use of stethoscopes added to the challenges faced by doctors [ 10 ]. Moreover, the effectiveness of using a stethoscope heavily relies on the user’s practical knowledge and ability to diagnose based on sound, which often leads to poor interobserver reliability [ 11 ].…”

El estetoscopio a través de los años

“…Durante el transcurso de los años se han descrito distintas maneras de escuchar los sonidos cardíacos y pulmonares. 1,2 Esto ha permitido la identificación de patrones de sonidos relacionados directamente con un sinnúmero de enfermedades. El invento del estetoscopio ha transformado la medicina.…”

Clinical IoT in Practice: A Novel Design and Implementation of a Multi-functional Digital Stethoscope for Remote Health Monitoring

“…Digital stethoscopes have emerged to address these limitations [6]. Through digital signal processing, these devices can amplify heart and lung sounds and reduce ambient noise, thus offering a more precise and sensitive tool for auscultation [7].…”