Reduction in the duration of postoperative fever following NUSS surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background: Our study aimed to compare the prevalence of postoperative fever during the COVID-19 pandemic period with that of the preceding non-pandemic period. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with pectus excavatum (PE) undergoing minimally invasive repair (also called NUSS procedure) at Nanjing Children’s Hospital from January 1, 2017 to March 1, 2019 (Group 2019), and from January 1, 2020 to March 1, 2021 (Group 2021). Data from a total of 284 patients, consisting of 200 (70.4%) males and 84 (29.6%) females with an average age of 9.73 ± 3.41 (range, 4 to 17) years, were collected. The presence of post-operative fever (defined as a forehead temperature of 37.5℃ or above within 72 hours post-surgery), as well as the time of operation, duration of postoperative mechanical ventilator and urinary catheter use, and length of hospitalization were all assessed in admitted patients from Group 2019 (n=144) and Group 2021 (n=140). Postoperative white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and prevalence of postoperative complications (i.e., pneumothorax, pulmonary atelectasis, pneumonia, wound infection, and dehiscence) were also determined. Result: Our results showed a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative fever within 24 to 72 hours of surgery in patients admitted from Group 2019 as compared to Group 2021 (p<0.001), as well as a decrease in peak body temperature within 72 hours (p<0.05). Meanwhile, no significant differences were observed in age and body mass index (BMI), time of operation, or duration of postoperative mechanical ventilator and urinary catheter use between the two groups (p>0.05). The average hospitalization length of Group 2021 was significantly shorter than Group 2019 (12.49 ± 2.57 vs 11.85 ± 2.19 days, p<0.05). Furthermore, while the WBC count between the two groups 24 hours after surgery showed a statistical difference (p<0.05), no differences in CRP levels or the incidence of postoperative complications were observed (p>0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of postoperative fever within 72 hours of surgery and the length of hospital stay for patients with PE undergoing NUSS surgery were both decreased in Group 2021. We propose that the above phenomenon may be related to increased used of personal protection equipment (such as surgical masks and filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs)) by physicians, nurses, and the patients themselves.