Temperature trends in total hip arthroplasty - A retrospective study

The purpose of this study was to define the temporal trend in body temperature of patients during the first 5 days after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The medical records of 98 consecutive THAs were reviewed, 88 clinically uncomplicated cases were included. The average maximum temperature reached during the study period was 38.08degreesC, a 3.7% (Pless than or equal to.01) increase from the preoperative base line of 36.64degreesC. In this study, 62.5% of patients reached a temperature greater than or equal to38.0degreesC; 19.39% greater than or equal to38.5degreesC; and 3.4% greater than or equal to 39.0degreesC. No patients had a preoperative temperature of greater than or equal to38degreesC recorded. On the first postoperative day, 39 patients had a temperature greater than or equal to38degreesC. The number of febrile patients progressively decreased until by the fifth postoperative day, only 5 patients had a temperature greater than or equal to38degreesC recorded.