Postoperative chylothorax

Abstract

Fortunately, the incidence of postoperative chylothorax is low. Postoperative chylothorax can result from iatrogenic injury to either the thoracic duct or its tributaries during thoracic procedures. Thoracic duct injury has been reported following several thoracic procedures including oesophagectomy, pulmonary resections, mediastinal lymph node dissection and aortic surgery. Knowledge of the anatomical course and variations in ductal anatomy reduces the risks of injury during surgery. Chylothorax results in metabolic derangement, hypovolaemia, acidosis, malnutrition and immunosuppression. Undiagnosed, postoperative chylothorax could have devastating effects with significant morbidity and a mortality of up to 30%. Early diagnosis is therefore imperative to enable prompt and aggressive management. If postoperative chylothorax is suspected, it should be immediately investigated to confirm the diagnosis. Familiarity with the diagnostic and management procedures are therefore important to help reduce the complications of postoperative chylothorax. There are several options for managing postoperative chylothorax. These include conservative treatment, interventional procedures and surgical re-exploration for the closure of leak or duct ligation. Successful management is often achieved using a combination of these approaches. Intraoperative prophylactic thoracic duct ligation has been suggested to reduce the incidence of chylothorax following high-