Invented in 1816 by French Physician Rene Laennec, the stethoscope allowed physicians to hear vital heart and lung sounds and put the doctor ‘at arm’s length’ to the patient. Laennec’s primitive rolled paper tube was later modified by George P. Camman of New York to include an earpiece for each ear, which became the design of choice for over 100 years. Not until the early 1960’s was the stethoscope revolutionised by Dr David Littmann to vastly improve its acoustical performance. The Littmann design stethoscope can be seen in healthcare settings across the world today.
The concept of respiratory (chest) physiotherapy was first recognised in 1915 using manual handling techniques to facilitate mucocillary clearance. Since those early days, the stethoscope has become a key tool in a physiotherapist’s assessment toolkit; regularly the first purchase for a student, and (sometimes) lovingly kept throughout a career.
In many countries throughout the world, on-call physiotherapists respond to acute respiratory events, with the stethoscope as a key component of their arsenal. This simple instrument allows physiotherapists to assess for the presence of sputum, collapse, consolidation, and broncho-construction, whilst also acting as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of any interventions provided.
The stethoscope’s place is becoming challenged with the increasing use of point of care ultrasound able to provide detailed images of the lung, but its price, ease of use, and established position in the healthcare setting may see it continue to be used for many years to come.
Description provided by Paul Twose of Wales.
