Why does fever occur after craniotomy, and what should be done?
Disease description:
My boyfriend recently underwent a craniotomy, and he has been running a fever ever since the surgery. Why does fever occur after a craniomy, and what should be done about it?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Guan Yanlei
The reason for fever after craniotomy depends on the patient's specific condition. A body temperature below 38.5°C within three days after surgery is considered a normal postoperative reaction, possibly due to absorption of blood from surgical site oozing, and can be managed with physical cooling methods such as ice packs. Fever occurring more than three days after surgery may indicate intracranial or pulmonary infection. During surgery, prolonged exposure of the cranial cavity and brain tissue allows bacteria to enter the cranial cavity through the air, leading to intracranial infection. Additionally, prolonged bed rest can cause accumulation of sputum in the lungs, resulting in pulmonary infection.
