Immediate fever during anaesthesia recovery after surgical procedure with scoliosis: A case report and literature review.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE Fever is a common clinical symptom in patients with postoperative scoliosis. However, there are rare reports of immediately fevers occurring following operative procedures. CASE PRESENTATION A 15-year-old female with a 1-year history of scoliosis was admitted to the hospital after a health examination. The patient was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis and underwent a posterior idiopathic scoliosis procedure and correction for pedicle fixation. The clinical symptoms, including chills, fever, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, were observed immediately following surgery during anaesthesia recovery. The patient was discharged from the hospital 12 days post-surgery. Over the 90-day follow-up, no chills, fever (≥38 °C), deep tissue infection, or surgery-related complications were reported. This remained consistent for the subsequent 3-year follow-up. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The patient was discharged 12 days after the operation, and no chills or fever (≥38 °C) occurred during the 90-day follow-up. Furthermore, there were no instances of deep tissue infection or any other surgery-related complications throughout the subsequent 3-year follow-up duration. A literature review has performed for this subject by systematic review. We identified only three reports that specifically examined postoperative fever as an observational measure among spine surgical patients. Unfortunately, none of these reports mentioned immediate postoperative fever. CONCLUSION: Based on the available clinical data and research evidence, it is recommended to exercise caution when treating patients who experience postoperative chill and fever, as it may be caused by a combination of intraoperative hypothermia and anaesthesia inhibition. While these symptoms may be self-limiting in nature, close monitoring and appropriate management should be implemented to ensure patient safety and to identify any potential complications.