Evaluating postoperative fever.
Fever is one of the most common postoperative complications seen in medical and surgical settings. Clinicians taking care of these patients need to be able to differentiate between a normal physiologic response to surgery and one that may be pathologic. Pathologic causes should be further separated into infectious and noninfectious causes. A systematic approach to febrile postoperative patients can help clinicians make better use of resources, limit costly workups, and improve patient outcomes.
At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Kristopher R. Maday is an assistant professor and academic coordinator of the PA program, John B. Hurt and Paul Harrelson are assistant professors in the PA program, and John Porterfield is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
Kristopher R
KR
Maday
John B
JB
Hurt
Paul
P
Harrelson
John
J
Porterfield
D005334:Fever; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period