Debunking a mythology: Atelectasis is not a cause of postoperative fever

Abstract

Most physicians appreciate that practicing medicine is a commitment to continuous learning. However, “learning” can be mistakenly understood as simply the acquisition of facts and new knowledge. But learning also necessitates the constant re-examination and challenging of one's existing body of knowledge, as misinformation persists when one's beliefs are not challenged or questioned in the light of new information. One example is the pervasive belief that postoperative atelectasis causes fever despite ample evidence to the contrary. Herein we examine the imaging characteristics of atelectasis, the means of differentiation of atelectasis from consolidation, explore the history of this persistent myth, and review the existing literature on the actual causes of postoperative fever.