Tympanic thermometry in heat stroke: is it justifiable?

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Quick diagnosis, and sorting of victims for severity is very important for positive prognosis. Tympanic membrane thermometry was introduced as a good index for core body temperature. Therefore, we have used a sheep model for heat stroke, to study the reliability of measuring body temperature at the tympanic membrane, as a diagnostic index in heat stroke management. This was compared to measuring body temperature at the skin and the rectum. We have observed no major superiority of tympanic over rectal thermometry in regard to its ability to sort out heat stroke cases according to severity. On the other hand, skin thermometry was found not to be a reliable index in this regard.