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Published on: July 24, 2016
Fever after intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in children
S L de Kunder1, M P Ter Laak-Poort1, J Nicolai2
1Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Insights
Fever is common after intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in children, typically appearing within two days. Most cases are mild, but persistent fever with other symptoms may indicate serious illness requiring close observation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Infectious Disease Management
Background:
- Intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures are increasingly utilized in pediatric neurosurgery.
- Postoperative fever is a common concern, necessitating clear understanding of its incidence and significance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence of fever following intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in pediatric patients.
- To determine the clinical significance and prognostic value of postoperative fever in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients undergoing intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures (2004-2015).
- Evaluation of postoperative body temperature (≥38°C), clinical signs, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis.
- Correlation of fever with patient demographics, procedure type, and clinical outcomes.
Main Results:
- Fever occurred in 70% of 67 procedures across 55 children, predominantly on postoperative days 1 and 2.
- Clinically ill children with fever (n=7) had serious illnesses, unlike afebrile children with fever (n=36).
- Fever was not associated with gender, indication, or procedure type, nor did it impact endoscopic third ventriculostomy success rates.
Conclusions:
- Post-procedural fever in children is frequent and follows a predictable pattern, usually resolving quickly.
- Fever alone is rarely indicative of serious illness; clinical presentation is key for assessment.
- Close observation for at least five days is recommended, with heightened vigilance for persistent fever or clinical deterioration.
Purpose:
The purpose of this paper was to study the incidence and clinical significance of fever after intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in children.
Methods:
We retrospectively assessed all children subjected to an intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedure between 2004 and 2015. Body temperature 6 days postoperatively, symptoms and signs, and eventual cerebrospinal fluid analysis were evaluated. Fever was defined as temperature above 38 °C.
Results:
Fifty-five children (mean age 4.8 years) had 67 procedures. Forty-three children (47 procedures, 70 %) developed fever, mostly the day of surgery (n = 17; 25 %) or the next day (n = 33; 49 %). All children who were clinically ill (n = 9, including 7 with fever) suffered serious illness, as opposed to none of the children with fever without being clinically ill (n = 36). Fever was unrelated to gender, indication for, and type of procedure and did not influence ETV success rate at 3 months. Children under 1 year less frequently developed fever (p = 0.032).
Conclusions:
Fever frequently develops after intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in children and follows a rather predictable course, peaking the day of surgery and/or the next day, and rapidly subsiding thereafter. Fever is not a cardinal symptom except when combined with other symptoms in children who are clinically ill (which most of them are not). Close observation avoiding invasive diagnostic tests may suffice for those who are not clinically ill, while extra attention should be paid to those whose temperature rises after day 2 especially when clinically ill, as they likely suffer serious illness. We recommend to closely observe children after any intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedure for at least 5 days.
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