Wilderness & environmental medicine
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Wilderness Environ Med · Mar 2014
Novel approach to the diagnosis of fractures in an austere environment using a stethoscope and a cellular phone.
Fracture diagnosis in the austere environment where radiographic tests are not available can be a challenge. In the past, a diagnostic technique has been described using a tuning fork and stethoscope to assess decreased sound conduction in the fractured extremity. In this study, we evaluate the use of a cellular phone's vibrate function and a stethoscope to limit equipment carried by expeditionary practitioners. ⋯ The use of a cellular phone and stethoscope may be a useful tool for the diagnosis of fractures in the austere environment. However, further study is needed to validate these findings in the clinical environment.