Bacteriuria, leukocytosis, and fever after transurethral prostatectomy

Transurethral prostatectomy was performed in 71 patients, whose body temperature and leukocyte count were recorded for four days. Twenty-four of the patients had a pre- or postoperative urinary tract infection. The fever index scores (temperature X hours) of both the infected and noninfected patients increased similarly on the day of surgery and postoperative day 1; the scores of the noninfected then decreased rapidly, while those of the infected declined gradually. There was a similar pattern in leukocyte counts. It is hypothesized that the fever associated with transurethral prostatectomy in noninfected patients is a swift reaction to bacteremia, which is promptly overcome; infected patients, who do not react as quickly, experience prolonged infection and fever.