Evaluation of postoperative fever after surgical correction of neuromuscular scoliosis: implication on management

ConclusionSixty-four percent of patients who underwent surgical correction of neuromuscular scoliosis developed postoperative fever. Postoperative fever was sign of infection in 32.7% of patients and urinary tract infection was the most frequent finding. Only 15.2% of fever diagnostic workup tests were positive. Diagnostic urine tests account for 70% of the positive diagnostic workup. The routine use of blood cultures for the assessment of postoperative fever in such population should be avoided due to the low rate of positive tests and the associated high cost.
Source: European Spine Journal - Category: Orthopaedics Source Type: research