Medical Problems: Postoperative Fever

OVERVIEW

This page is designed to organize content that is relevant to the topic of postoperative fever. This term is used in medicine, and it is important that to become familiar with it.

A postoperative fever has its own approach given its clinical context (image source)
WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?

Before going any farther, let us make sure we clearly define the “medical problem”. A post-operative fever literally just refers to a new fever that occurs after some type of operation has been performed on the patient.

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?

A new fever after an operation has been performed can be the sign of a new serious condition that may need to be addressed quickly.

ORGANIZING THE DIFFERENTIAL

The differential diagnosis for postoperative fever can be organized in a few different ways:

  • Timing of fever
  • Can’t miss diagnosis
  • Organ system
  • Disease category
  • Diagnostic modality
  • Most common diagnosis
  • Special considerations for certain surgical procedures  
CLINICAL “WORKUP”

Now that the possible causes of postoperative fever have been established, the focus can shift to how one would actually “work-up” a patient who presents with a postoperative fever. 

  • Collecting the history
  • Performing the physical
  • Ordering studies/tests
  • Interpreting clinical data
TREATMENT

The treatment of a postoperative fever may vary depending on the etiology of the condition, and is elaborated upon more below:

  • Overview of treatments 

 

Page Updated: 03.02.2018