Different faces of the stethoscope: history, usefulness, evolution, contamination, and disinfection practices

Dorota Ochońska; Monika Brzychczy-Włoch; Katarzyna Talaga-Ćwiertnia

doi:10.5114/ms.2024.144160

eISSN: 2300-6722
ISSN: 1899-1874

Medical Studies/Studia Medyczne

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abstract:

Review paper

Different faces of the stethoscope: history, usefulness, evolution, contamination, and disinfection practices

Dorota Ochońska

¹

,

Monika Brzychczy-Włoch

¹

,

Katarzyna Talaga-Ćwiertnia

¹

Department of Molecular Medical Microbiology, Chair of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland

Medical Studies/Studia Medyczne

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/ms.2024.144160

Online publish date: 2024/11/14

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A stethoscope is a tool mainly used by physicians of various specialties in their daily work. Over the centuries, newer designs of this diagnostic tool have been improved and developed. A stethoscope in medical practice, which comes into contact with many patients, poses a high risk of infection transmission and thus may increase the incidence of infection in healthcare facilities. Research data indicate that a stethoscope can be contaminated by 21–100% with clinically relevant bacterial pathogens, including multidrug-resistant strains. A stethoscope is considered non-critical equipment, and the recommendations for cleaning the stethoscope are after each patient, once a day, or once a week. However, there are still no clear-cut algorithms for its handling. The use of disinfectants requires the selection of a suitable agent that, with frequent disinfection of stethoscopes, will not damage sensitive parts and at the same time effectively remove pathogens.

keywords:

Different faces of the stethoscope: history, usefulness, evolution, contamination, and disinfection practices

Dorota Ochońska 1 , Monika Brzychczy-Włoch 1 , Katarzyna Talaga-Ćwiertnia 1

the history of the stethoscope, stethoscope hygiene, stethoscope contamination, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), usefulness of the stethoscope

Dorota Ochońska

¹

,

Monika Brzychczy-Włoch

¹

,

Katarzyna Talaga-Ćwiertnia

¹