Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the types of bacteria raising body temperature after a percutaneous
nephrolithotomy (PCNL).
Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 120 patients who underwent PCNL at Labbafinejad
Medical Center between March and July 2006. Each patient had proven negative urine cultures preoperatively
and received prophylactic antibiotics at the time of the procedure. Fever was defined as an oral
temperature higher than 37.8°C, and those patients with a body temperature lower than 37.8°C were designated
as the control group. The feverish patients were divided into two groups: The first group with a temperature
below 38.5°C, and the second group with a temperature of 38.5°C or higher. Clinical and operative
charts were reviewed to detect fever during the hospital stay. Three simultaneous laboratory tests, including
postoperative urine cultures and blood cultures, plus postoperative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were
carried out to determine the causative agents.
Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the PCR results. Also, this
study demonstrated that positive PCR results (pathogen and nonpathogen species) were the same in febrile
and afebrile groups.
Conclusion: Considering our findings, we may conclude that the effects of the bacterial etiologies in post-PCNL
fever are insignificant.
