Reasons for elevated tempature post cardiac surgery?

Many things can cause a fever, especially after surgery. Slight infection, the trauma of going thru surgery in itself, because the bodies temperature is lowered. Usually if one spikes a fever after surgery the first thing to look for would be infection

An elevated temperature after any surgical procedure (or any open wound) could be caused by infection, most commonly at the incisional site. If the area around your incision is red, swollen, more tender than usually, or warm to touch, has an increase in the amount of drainage or a change in the color of the drainage, see your doctor.

Infection, Infection, Infection, Go to the Emergency Room of the hospital. You could wait to see your doctor but if it takes a week you would be just wasting time, and he will only send you to a hospital for tests. I would prefer to find out right away, and get rid of it right away. I am not a doctor, but I have been a patient for many things including cardiac arrest. If you can see your incision check if is red around the area ? If it is bright pink or red you most likely have an infection right there. If not you may still have one somewhere else. If you have insurance why not go and get it taken care of. You probably just need an anti biotic. Good Luck and Speedy Recovery.

The most common reason for a slightly elevated temperature after surgery is something called atelectisis. It is essentially a collection of fluid in the lungs that occurs due to lying flat for extended time and being on a respirator. It resolves without intervention or special measures. This will usually occur immediately rather than several days after surgery.

While wound infection is on the list of possibilities, there are plenty of other things that might be behind it if this. If you do not feel badly, I would seek medical attention but this does not rnecessarily equire the emergency room.

Good luck.