Determination of the prevalence of fever after congenital cardiac surgery in children

undergoing congenital heart surgery and causes anxiety in the surgeon and the patient's parents. Proper diagnosis and management of fever requires careful preoperative patient evaluation, targeted physical examination, and comprehensive knowledge about the prevalence and common causes of fever. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of fever after congenital heart surgery in children.

This was a descriptive-analytical study on children under 10 years of age undergoing congenital heart surgery in the cardiac operating room of Golestan Hospital of Ahvaz in 2021. Data collection tools included a two-section checklist. The first section was related to demographic characteristics and the second addressed patients' clinical status and causes of fever. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

After surgery, 21 patients (31.8%) developed fever and the prevalence of fever was not significantly associated with age, sex, presence of genetic syndrome, type of disease, type of operation, cardio pulmonary bypass, duration of aortic cross clamp, duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, or duration of operation. However, it was significantly correlated with the mean length of ICU stay (P> 0.05).

The prevalence of fever in patients undergoing congenital heart surgery was relatively high and had a significant relationship with the length of ICU stay.