Investigation of Stethoscope Technology for En Route Care

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering
• Clinical Acoustics

Background:

• Traditional stethoscopes present challenges for auscultation in high-noise military air transport environments.
• Occupational demands in aviation necessitate reliable diagnostic tools for patient assessment during transport.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of two commercial stethoscopes for cardiopulmonary auscultation in simulated high-noise military aircraft settings.
• To compare a dual-mode stethoscope with an electronic stethoscope for use by Aeromedical Evacuation providers.

Main Methods:

• Twenty clinicians assessed two standardized mock patients in a simulated C-130 aircraft trainer.
• Participants used a dual-mode stethoscope (Device 1) and an electronic stethoscope (Device 2).
• Subjective feedback on the ability to identify heart and lung sounds was collected via questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The dual-mode stethoscope demonstrated limited utility, with a low median likelihood of use (2).
• The electronic stethoscope showed potential utility, receiving a good median likelihood of use rating (4).
• Clinician feedback indicated significant differences in performance between the two devices in the simulated environment.

Conclusions:

• Electronic stethoscopes show promise for improving auscultation capabilities in noisy military aeromedical transport.
• Further investigation into advanced auscultation devices for high-noise military environments is warranted.
• In-flight testing of the electronic stethoscope has been completed and will be reported separately.