Fever After bypass

[Jitender9]

Hello,

My dad has just gone for a bypass surgery just 20 days ago and from last 5 days he is getting fever and whenver he takes pracetamol 500 mg fever goes off and this has become a complex situation for me to handle . Today i discussed with doctor and he has given him Indomicacin SR 75 Mg OD and stil the fever is there .

Please advise ..
1)how this fever will go
2) yesterday i have seen swalling in anckle
3) he feels pain in the chest is that pain is a surgery pain or need some checkup.

Regards,
Jitender

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, welcome to the forum, such elevated temperatures after bypass surgery is a condition known as hyperthermia, which is common after bypass surgery.

For that reason, early post-operative hyperthermia has not been studied much; it appears that heart surgery can cause brain injury in some patients, which makes the brain susceptible to further damage caused by hyperthermia and temperature remains elevated. "For example, a normal healthy brain likely would not show negative effects from a temperature of 39.3 degrees Celsius; however, elevated temperatures can cause further damage to an already-injured brain.
It appears that high temperatures cause the brain to release excitatory neurotransmitters in higher than normal amounts, further damaging susceptible brain cells.

Some  research has demonstrated that in response to restored blood flow, ischemic brain cells release elevated quantities of potentially destructive oxygen free radicals. Brain to release excitatory neurotransmitters in higher than normal amounts, further damaging susceptible brain cells.

Also if hygiene is not maintained then there is chance of secondary infection which also may cause elevated temperature.

I suggest you to consult cardio surgeon further evaluation and management. Take care and regards.

[OrionsMommy]

There are many reasons he could be spiking a fever, and I would advise a checkup with physician/cardiologist.  The swelling in the ankles means that he is retaining fluid as the heart is working too hard to both heal and pump the blood around the body. When it's not pumping efficiently, it will start to be retained by the body, usually showing up in the ankles/legs first as they are the furthest from the heart.  Again, if he is not on any kind of diuretics, I would suggest follow up with cardiologist. I had my first heart attack in Dec 04, and diagnosed with CHF, and just past few weeks been having terrible swelling in the feet/ankles/legs.  Physician signed me up with heart failure clinic so that I could be monitored.  As for the pain in his chest, your description is slightly vague, it could be residual pain from the surgery, but again, I would err on the side of caution and make a follow up appointment to discuss all these issues.  One could be causing the other or vice versa.  I would rather be over cautious and follow up with the physician rather than just "wonder" what the pain might be.  Best wishes to your dad for a speedy recovery.