• K Harasawa, O Kemmotsu, T Mayumi, and Y Kawano.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
• J Clin Monit. 1997 Jan 1; 13 (1): 19-24.

ObjectiveTympanic temperature can be obtained instantaneously using an infrared emission detection (IRED) thermometer. Its accuracy has been documented in a variety of clinical settings, but its performance at low body temperatures is still unknown. In this study we evaluated its performance during coronary artery revascularization surgery in which mild hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used.MethodsThirty adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery were enrolled in the study. Tympanic temperature obtained using IRED thermometry (Tt1) was compared with core temperatures from the esophagus (Te), and venous blood of CPB (Tv) before, during, and after CPB. We also measured tympanic temperature using a thermocouple probe (Tt2) in 16 of the 30 patients in order to study the agreement between the two methods. Values for correlation coefficients and limits of agreement were computed to assess the degree of agreement among the temperatures obtained.ResultsThe highest agreement with Tv during CPB was obtained from Tt1 (r = 0.94, 0.41 +/- 1.73, limits of agreement) and from Te (0.91, 0.36 +/- 2.46). Tt1 also showed good agreement with Tt2 during surgery.ConclusionsInfrared tympanic thermometry is a reliable, alternative method to measure tympanic temperature and may be useful to assess core temperature in both normothermic and mild hypothermic conditions.

19 keywords...

hide…