Evaluation of postoperative fever

Last reviewed: 10 Sep 2024
Last updated: 03 Jun 2024

Summary

Differentials

Common

  • Pyrexial response to surgery
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Wound infection
  • Pneumonia
  • Superficial thrombophlebitis
  • Catheter-associated intravascular infection
  • Abdominal abscess
  • Foreign body infection
  • Clostridium difficile colitis
  • Sepsis
  • Hematoma
  • Deep venous thrombosis
  • Pulmonary embolism
Full details

Uncommon

  • Drug fever
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Stroke
  • Alcohol withdrawal
  • Fat embolism
  • Transfusion reaction
  • Transplant rejection
  • Toxic shock syndrome
  • Ischemia of operated tissue
  • Gout exacerbation
  • Pseudogout exacerbation
  • Acute pancreatitis
  • Acalculous cholecystitis
  • Seroma
  • Malignant hyperthermia
  • Hyperthyroidism exacerbation
  • Pheochromocytoma exacerbation
  • Adrenal crisis
  • Transfusion-related infection
  • Underlying malignancy
  • Meningitis post neurosurgery
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage post neurosurgery
  • Otitis media post ENT surgery
  • Sinusitis post nasogastric tube insertion
  • Sialadenitis
  • Cavernous sinus thrombosis post ENT or neurosurgery
  • Osteomyelitis following orthopedic surgery
  • Infective endocarditis following cardiac surgery
Full details

Contributors

Authors

Jeff House, DO, FACP

Program Director Internal Medicine

Assistant Professor

University of Florida-Health Science Center

Internal Medicine Residency Program

Jacksonville

FL

Disclosures

JH declares that he has no competing interests.

Irene Alexandraki, MD, MPH, FACP

Professor of Medicine

Florida State University

College of Medicine

Tallahassee

FL

Disclosures

IA declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

A. Sahib El-Radhi, MRCPCH, FRCPCH, DCH, PhD

Consultant Paediatrician

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Chelsfield Park Hospital

Chelsfield

Orpington

UK

Disclosures

ASER declares that he has no competing interests.

John M. Embil, MD, FRCPC

Consultant

Infectious Diseases

Associate Professor

Section of Infectious Diseases

Department of Medicine

University of Manitoba

Director

Infection Prevention and Control Unit Health Sciences Centre

Winnipeg

Manitoba

Canada

Disclosures

JME declares that he has no competing interests.

Stephen G. Baum, MD

Professor of Medicine

Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Bronx

NY

Disclosures

SGB declares that he has no competing interests.

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