C-reactive protein levels following standard neurosurgical procedures.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to establish the magnitude and time-course of C-reactive protein increases following routine neurosurgical procedures in the absence of clinical and laboratory signs of infection.


METHODS
C-reactive protein levels were studied daily following ventriculo-peritoneal shunt implantation, anterior cervical fusion, vestibular schwannoma operation, supratentorial glioma surgery, endovascular intracranial aneurysm treatment and open cerebral aneurysm surgery.


RESULTS
The magnitude of the C-reactive protein increase depended on the extent of surgical trauma and peak-levels were recorded between postoperative day one and four after which the levels tapered off.


CONCLUSIONS
Increases occurring after the fourth postoperative day are likely to be caused by complications of surgery, e.g. infection.
Bengzon
J
J
Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital, S-221 85 Lund, Sweden. johan.bengzon@neurokir.lu.se
Grubb
A
A
Bune
A
A
Hellström
K
K
Lindström
V
V
Brandt
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors
D002097:C-Reactive Protein