'Smart Stethoscope' helps assess the outcome of kidney stones

A device called the Smart Stethoscope, invented by scientists at the University of Southampton, will help doctors evaluate whether the treatment of kidney stones is successful.

In patients with kidney stones, if the stones can not be "dissolved" by the drug, they may be assigned to the method of pebble - concentrating a series of high intensity pulses into the stones, giving Until they crumble and then excreted through the urinary tract. Current screening technologies, such as x-ray or ultrasound, are difficult to detect, but Smart stethoscopes can do that.

When used, the device's stethoscope is applied to the patient's skin, where it can "hear" the electric pulse echoing into the stone. If the stone is still intact, the machine will sound "tic" , while the stone is broken, the machine will sound "toc" . The use of this device not only helps patients avoid the risk of exposure to radiation (from X-ray or ultrasound), but also helps to know the exact results of the treatment. Surveys show that more than 50% of patients with pebbles are allowed to go home without completely removing the stones.

A clinical trial of over 200 patients showed that the system yielded 94.7% accurate results, compared with only 36.8% in the conventional monitoring device. Experts claim that Smart stethoscope does not have any negative impact on patient health.

References: Gizmag