There are many reasons that you might develop a fever after surgery, and how severe it is depends upon the cause. There are dozens of reasons that your temperature might be elevated after a surgical procedure, most are related to the procedure, but some are not.
It is important to take your temperature daily in the week following surgery. While a fever after surgery is the single most common complication and isn't necessarily alarming, it should never be ignored. A serious fever -- 102 degrees F or higher -- indicates the need for medical attention, but all fevers should be reported to your surgeon.
Causes of Fever After Surgery:
- Infection including pneumonia, urinary tract infection, infected incision and abscess.
- Sepsis
- Blood Transfusion
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Peritonitis An infection in the abdomen caused by a leak at the surgical site.
- Urinary Tract Infection
Non-Surgical Reasons For Fever:
- Virus, such as the flu
- Cold
- Sore Throat
- Neurological Fever: This type of fever is caused by a brain injury and will not respond to normal interventions, such as Ibuprofen.
The cause of your fever may not be obvious, and a low-grade fever may not even warrant treatment. Often, a fever between 99 and 101 is allowed to run it's own course without medication. Higher temperatures typically require greater attention and may require testing to identify the cause.
Sources:
Evaluating Postoperative Fever: A Focused Approach. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. April 2011. http://ccjm.org/content/73/Suppl_1/S62.full.pdf
Fever In the Postoperative Patient: A Chilling Problem. The Canadian Journal of CME. Accessed April 2011. http://www.stacommunications.com/journals/cme/2004/May/PDF/093.pdf
