title: Auscultation of the respiratory system.
abstract: Auscultation of the lung is an important part of the respiratory examination and is helpful in diagnosing various respiratory disorders. Auscultation assesses airflow through the trachea-bronchial tree. It is important to distinguish normal respiratory sounds from abnormal ones for example crackles, wheezes, and pleural rub in order to make correct diagnosis. It is necessary to understand the underlying pathophysiology of various lung sounds generation for better understanding of disease processes. Bedside teaching should be strengthened in order to avoid erosion in this age old procedure in the era of technological explosion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Malay
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Pediatric Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Irappa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Madabhavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Narasimhalu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niranjan
authors.affiliation: Medical Officer, Primary Health Center, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Megha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogra
keywords: Breath sound; bronchial breathing; crackles; rubs; wheeze