title: Evaluation of fever in the immediate postoperative period in patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty.
abstract: Forty percent to 50% of patients may experience an immediate postoperative fever. Research suggests that these are of aseptic cause due to inflammatory mediators. This is a retrospective analysis of fevers in total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients from 2006 to 2008. Thirty-six percent of THA and 31% of TKA patients developed a fever, with most developing a maximum temperature on postoperative day (POD) 2. The maximum mean temperature between the THA and TKA group was not significantly different. Fevers in the immediate postoperative period are a normal variant in patients undergoing THA or TKA. Urinalysis, urine culture and sensitivity, and chest x-ray are not required during this period because most of these fevers stem from aseptic causes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, New Jersey 07740, USA.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Athanassious
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samad
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chalnick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016482:Urinalysis; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult