Low-grade Fever After Surgery

One of the most common post operative complications is low-grade fever after surgery, and it is attributed to various reasons ranging from reactions to anesthetics to infections.

The simplest surgeries can have complications due to the nature of the procedure. A patient is exposed to anesthetics; an incision is made and the possibility of human error increases the risk factor of complications. In most cases, low-grade fever after surgery is prevalent for 4-6 days and then disappears. This is normal, however, the situation may defer from case to case.

It is also advisable to talk to your doctor if the fever goes above 101°F. If you have undergone a procedure, it is advisable that you monitor your fever and catch early signs of any abnormalities. One of the ways of doing this is taking a temperature reading once in the morning and once in the evening, preferably at the same time everyday.

Modern medicine has evolved in leaps and bounds, and most conditions do not require surgical treatment. However, in some cases, an operation is unavoidable, and in such cases, the patient has to bear heavy dosage of antibiotics, and local or full body anesthetics up and above the incisions made to treat the problem.

When the incision is made, the body is exposed to infection, which can lead to complications.

One of the symptoms of such complication is low-grade fever along with other things connected to the specific operation. Another thing to remember here is that when the body is on anesthetics and other medication, the immune system weakens.

A weak immune system is prone to attack from harmful bacteria and viruses. When this happens, there is a possibility of the patient experiencing fever. If a person has a knee surgery, he will have specific symptoms associated with this kind of surgery along with fever.

People having serious gallstones problems have to undergo gallbladder surgery, and there is a possibility of injury to the bile duct during the procedure. If this happens, the bile spills in to the abdominal area causing infection, which leads to fever and nausea.

In this case, a patient will also experience vomiting and abdominal pain. It is advisable to contact your physician, as you might require another operation.

Hernias mostly develop in the groin region although the navel and abdomen areas are also susceptible to hernia development.

This is a condition where tissue bulges through a weak area or hole in the abdominal wall. Other than fever, some of the other accompanying symptoms are dizziness and pain for the first week. If the fever crosses the 101°F mark, it is advisable to seek medical help.

Heavy anesthetics are used during knee operations, and they may cause fever and nausea in patients, which may last for a couple of days.

However, this type of operation can also cause blood clots to form, which in turn can also cause fever in patients. If it persists for 24 hours post-operation, it is advisable to contact your physician. Patients will also experience headaches along with fever if spinal anesthetics were used.

Any kind of heart surgery is a major one, and doctors will take every precaution to ensure that nothing goes wrong during or after the surgery. However, due to the complex nature of the procedure complications can arise, and patients may experience fever and chest pain.

In most cases, patients are in the hospital for at least 5-7 days under the watchful eye of healthcare professionals. If you experience low-grade fever after discharge, which goes above the 101°F mark, contact the doctor immediately.

Patients who undergo surgery will be given after care instructions by the surgeon who will advise you about the correct course of action if you experience low-grade fever. It is also advisable to follow the post operative instructions to avoid any complications.

Disclaimer: This Story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.