The Effect of Ear Drainage and Middle Ear Inflammation due to Chronic Otitis Media on Infrared Tympanic Temperature Measurement

Background: The effect of ear drainage and middle ear inflammation due to chronic otitis media (COM) on infrared tympanic temperature measurement (ITTM) has not been demonstrated so far. This study aimed to reveal these effects.

Methods: Sixty patients with one perforated ear and one contralateral intact ear were included. These patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 30 patients with draining ears and inflamed middle ear mucosa, and group 2 included 30 patients with no drainage for the last 3 months and with normal middle ear mucosa. Tympanic temperature measurements were done for all ears in both groups. The data obtained from both groups were compared between and within groups.

Results: Mean perforated ear temperature and mean intact ear temperature were 36.95 ± 0.67°C and 36.74 ± 0.67°C, respectively, in group 1. This difference was statistically significant. In group 2, no statistically significant difference was found between the mean perforated ear temperature (36.87 ± 0.51°C) and the mean intact ear temperature (36.84 ± 0.51°C). A comparison of the perforated ears and the intact ears between the groups revealed no significant difference.

Conclusion: Although ear drainage and middle ear inflammation due to COM may lead a slight elevation in tympanic temperature, this elevation is not clinically significant. Neither wet perforation nor dry tympanic membrane perforations affect tympanic temperature. ITTM may still be a reliable method for temperature measurement in patients with COM.