Late-Onset Chylothorax After Blunt Chest Trauma at an Interval of 20 Years: Report of a Case

We herein report an extremely rare case of a patient chylothorax at an interval of 20 years after thoracic vertebrae fractures, who underwent a successful thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation and pleurodesis. A 51-year-old man was referred to our hospital with shortness of breath on effort about 1 month after participating in archery. Twenty years previously, he was involved in a traffic accident. At that time, the patient sustained trauma to the spine and suffered a spinal injury, thus resulting in paralysis in the lower part of his body. A chest roentgenogram and computed tomogram revealed a large amount of bilateral pleural effusion. After thoracentesis was performed, a diagnosis of chylothorax was made and the patient was hospitalized. Conservative management by a low-fat diet proved to be unsuccessful. The patient did not request pleurodesis, because pleural adhesions might impair pulmonary function. As a result, we decided to perform surgery. On the right side, we performed video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery by clipping the thoracic duct and applying an absorbable sealing material. Thereafter, pleurodesis was performed and OK-432 was instilled. Thereafter, the pleural fluid flow was almost completely stopped. On the left side, pleurodesis was effective. The patient has since remained symptom free and has been followed up on an outpatient basis for 9 months after the 100th postoperative day. We assumed that the chylothorax in this case was related to the earlier traffic accident.     

Thoracoscopic clipping of the thooracic duct for chylothorax following esophagectomy: report of a case

Thoracoscopic clipping of the thoracic duct was successfully performed for the treatment of postoperative chylothorax. Chylothorax occurred in a 67-year-old man following an esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Following unsuccessful conservative therapy for 3 weeks, we performed thoracoscopic surgery to examine the thoracic duct and found a leaking point of chylous fluid. The thoracic duct was successfully clipped resulting in complete elimination of the effusion immediately after surgery. Generally, chylothorax complicated by an esophagectomy has been managed by medical treatment first, followed by surgical intervention in case of uncontrollable pleural effusion. We think you should try this method at first in case chylothorax was able to be treated with not thoracotomy but thoracoscopic surgery: minimal invasiveness.     

Intraoperative fluorescence lymphography using indocyanine green in a patient with chylothorax after esophagectomy: report of a case

We report a case of chylothorax treated successfully by a new diagnostic tool: indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence lymphography. The patient, a 65-year-old man with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction, underwent radical esophagectomy, which was followed by the development of chylothorax. On postoperative day 10, we performed transabdominal ligation of the thoracic duct. During the re-operation, we injected ICG into the mesentery of the small bowel. We then performed mass ligation of the tissue right and dorsal of the aorta, including the thoracic duct, after which a near-infrared camera system revealed a fluorescent stripe on the caudal part of the ligation. The remnant thoracic duct appeared to be dilated as a result of lymphatic stasis. The patient was discharged 35 days after his initial surgery. We report this case to demonstrate the usefulness of intraoperative ICG lymphography as a tool to identify and confirm ligation of the thoracic duct transabdominally.     

Video-assisted right supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct ligation for non-traumatic recurrent chylothorax.

BACKGROUND: Chylothorax is an uncommon disorder with respiratory, nutritional and immunological manifestations. Surgical management is indicated in case of recurrence or failure after conservative treatment. We report our experience with video-assisted right-sided supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct ligation for non-traumatic, non-postoperative persistent or recurrent chylothorax. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of six patients operated at our institution between 1999 and 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. A right-sided chylothorax was found in four patients, a left-sided in one, and a bilateral in one. Three patients developed chylothorax after chemotherapy and chest irradiation for malignant diseases (lymphoma in two patients and breast cancer in one), one in the context of lymphangioleiomyomatosis, one due to a non-diagnosed lymphoma, and one after heart transplantation. RESULTS: The mean operative time was 102 min, with an average length of hospital stay of 14 days. Persistent cessation of chylous effusion within 7 days after surgery was observed in 5/6 patients without recurrence during a mean follow-up time of 41 months. One patient with undiagnosed mediastinal lymphoma required re-operation and thoracic duct ligation on day 8 by right-sided thoracotomy due to persistent chylothorax. No 30-day mortality was recorded. Two patients presented postoperative complications including respiratory insufficiency requiring mechanical ventilation in one, and chylous ascites development requiring peritoneo-venous LeVeen shunting in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent or persistent non-traumatic chylothorax may be successfully treated by video-assisted right supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct ligation.     

Aggressive treatment of chylothorax complicating transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy

Chylothorax is an unusual complication after transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) and in the past 10 years has occurred in 11 of 320 patients (3%) undergoing this operation for diseases of the intrathoracic esophagus. Four patients had benign esophageal disease: scleroderma reflux esophagitis (1), caustic stricture (1), and achalasia (2), and each had undergone at least one previous esophageal operation. Seven patients had intrathoracic esophageal carcinoma--two upper-third, two middle-third, and three distal-third lesions. Excessive chest tube drainage more than 72 hours after THE was the standard presentation, and the diagnosis of chylothorax was confirmed by the administration of cream through the jejunostomy feeding tube placed routinely at operation. The character of the chest tube drainage changed from serous to opalescent. Aggressive treatment of this complication was the rule, and every patient underwent a thoracotomy between 2 to 14 days (average, 6 days) after the diagnosis was established. Cream was administered through the jejunostomy tube before operation, and in each case the thoracic duct injury was readily identified and controlled with suture ligatures. There were no deaths in this group, and there was one recurrence of the fistula that required reoperation; all patients were discharged from the hospital within 3 to 29 days (average, 10 days) after thoracic duct ligation. It is concluded that early recognition of a chylothorax after transhiatal esophagectomy with prompt transthoracic ligation of the injured duct results in a shorter overall hospitalization and lower morbidity and mortality from this complication. The traditional conservative management of chylothorax with intravenous hyperalimentation and no or low-residue enteral feedings has little place in this nutritionally depleted patient population.     

Prophylactic Thoracic Duct Mass Ligation Prevents Chylothorax After Transthoracic Esophagectomy for Cancer

Background  Chylothorax after transthoracic esophagectomy for cancer is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening postoperative complication. It has been reported that preventive thoracic duct ligation can reduce the incidence of postoperative chylothorax after esophagectomy for cancer. In this prospective series, we evaluated the results of preventive intraoperative thoracic duct mass ligation in patients who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy for cancer. Methods  From 2001 to 2006, 323 patients underwent transthoracic esophagectomy for cancer and duct ligation during the operation was routinely performed. Results  No intraoperative or postoperative complications directly related to the procedure were recorded. No postoperative chylothorax was observed. Conclusions  In this series, the technique of intraoperative thoracic duct mass ligation proved to be safe and effectively prevented postoperative chylothorax in patients who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy for cancer.     

Thoracoscopic management of chylothorax complicating esophagectomy

BACKGROUND: Chylothorax is a relatively uncommon complication of esophageal surgery that may lead to severe respiratory, nutritional, and immunologic deficiencies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1992 and 2000, 3 of 316 patients (0.9%) undergoing transthoracic esophagectomy for carcinoma developed postoperative chylothorax. Two of them had previously been treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation, and one had been submitted to esophagogastric resection through a left thoracotomy. After a 2-week trial of total parenteral nutrition and drainage, two patients underwent thoracic duct ligation via thoracotomy. In the last patient, the operation was completed by thoracoscopy. The azygos vein and the periaortic tissue above the diaphragm were encircled en bloc by a right-angled clamp, and a roticulating endostapler was applied. RESULTS: Reoperation was successful in all patients. The postoperative hospital stay was 4 days. CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopy is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of chylothorax complicating esophagectomy. Given the minimal trauma to the patient, early thoracoscopic reoperation can be advocated in patients with high-output chyle loss in order to reduce the hospital stay.     

膈上胸导管结扎术在食管癌切除术中的应用

目的探讨胸导管结扎术对食管癌术后乳糜胸的预防和治疗作用。方法回顾性分析我院2003年1月至2009年6月的两组共836例食管癌切除术后的乳糜胸发生情况和治疗效果。其中结扎组431例,术中常规在膈上水平整块结扎胸导管,非结扎组405例,术中未常规结扎胸导管,术后并发乳糜胸者,再次采用手术治疗。结果结扎组无术后乳糜胸发生。非结扎组术后发生乳糜胸15例（3．7％）,治愈13例（86．7％）,死亡2例（13．3％）,1例死于呼吸功能衰竭,1例死于多器官功能衰竭。结论食管癌切除术中常规结扎胸导管可有效预防术后乳糜胸的发生。膈上胸导管结扎法稳妥有效。食管癌术后并发乳糜胸应积极手术治疗。     

Late-onset chylothorax following extrapleural pneumonectomy for mesothelioma

We report a 64-year-old woman treated with surgical intervention for late-onset chylothorax following a pleuropneumonectomy. The patient underwent an extrapleural pneumonectomy for diffuse malignant mesothelioma and was uneventfully discharged on postoperative day 29. Pleural effusion aspirated on postoperative day 9 was dark red. A chest roentgenogram taken at our outpatient clinic revealed a mediastinal shift on postoperative day 56. No bacterial infection was found in the milky effusion. We made a diagnosis of postoperative late-onset chylothorax based on the laboratory data obtained from tests of the pleural fluid. A repeat thoracotomy to ligate the lymphatic duct was performed because conservative management with chest tube drainage and no oral feeding was unsuccessful. The patient was discharged after the operation with a good clinical course.     

Thoracoscopic ligation of the thoracic duct.

OBJECTIVE: When nonoperative treatment of chylothorax fails, thoracic duct ligation is usually performed through a thoracotomy. We describe two cases of persistent chylothorax, in a child and an adult, successfully treated with thoracoscopic ligation of the thoracic duct. METHODS: A 4-year-old girl developed a right chylothorax following a Fontan procedure. Aggressive nonoperative management failed to eliminate the persistent chyle loss. A 72-year-old insulin-dependent diabetic man was involved in a motor vehicle accident, in which he sustained multiple fractured ribs, a right hemopneumothorax, a right femoral shaft fracture, and a T-11 thoracic vertebral fracture. Subsequently, he developed a right chylothorax, which did not respond to nonoperative management. Both patients were successfully treated with thoracoscopic ligation of the thoracic duct. RESULTS: The child had significant decrease of chyle drainage following surgery. Increased drainage that appeared after the introduction of full feedings five days postoperatively was controlled with the somatostatin analog octreotide. The chest tube was removed two weeks after surgery. After two years' follow-up, she has had no recurrence of chylothorax. The adult had no chyle drainage following surgery. He was maintained on a medium-chain triglyceride diet postoperatively for two weeks. The chest tube was removed four days after surgery. After six months' follow-up, he has had no recurrence of chylothorax. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracoscopic ligation of the thoracic duct provides a safe and effective treatment of chylothorax and may avoid thoracotomy and its associated morbidity.     

Prone thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation for postsurgical chylothorax

Background  Chylothorax after complex abdominal and thoracic procedures remains a challenging complication with a mortality rate reaching 50% if untreated [1]. Iatrogenic trauma accounts for almost 20% of all chyle leaks, and esophagectomy is the most common iatrogenic cause [2]. Consequences of ongoing chyle leak include dehydration, malnutrition, and immunocompromise. Methods  When nonoperative management techniques fail, prompt ligation of the thoracic duct at the diaphragmatic hiatus should be attempted. The authors present prone thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation performed for two patients after laparoscopic transthoracic esophagectomy and revision paraesophageal hernia repair. Results  The prone position for thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation offers several benefits to the surgeon. Gravity retracts the lung anteriorly, exposing the diaphragmatic hiatus. Single-lumen endotracheal intubation combined with low-pressure carbon dioxide insufflation efficiently collapses the lung to create ample working space. For the two reported patients, only three trocars were necessary to complete suture ligation of the thoracic duct via the right chest. Both patients had complete resolution of their chylothorax and recovered uneventfully. Based on this experience, the authors currently advocate early thoracoscopic treatment for cost and morbidity savings. Conclusions  The authors believe prone thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation offers significant advantages to the patient in preventing the dangerous consequences of chyle leak in a timely, minimally invasive fashion. Importantly, the prone technique with carbon dioxide insufflation makes the technical challenges of thoracic duct ligation more facile for the surgeon. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

A left thoracic approach in a prone position for thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation in a patient with post-esophagectomy chylothorax: A case report

IntroductionWe debate whether or not to approach from right thorax for the left chylothorax after esophagectomy.Presentation of caseA 50 s-year-old female underwent right-sided thoracoscopic esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy for esophageal carcinoma (type 0-IIa, 3.4 × 2.2 cm, T1bN0M0, Stage IA), followed by reconstruction with esophagogastric anastomosis through the posterior mediastinum. The thoracic duct was excised and ligated. The left thoracic drainage increased to 2115 mL/day on the fifth postoperative day. Thoracic duct injury was diagnosed, and surgery was performed on sixth postoperative day. With the patient in a prone position, the thoracic duct was ligated successfully under thoracoscopy in the left thorax. The leakage point was found in the crushed duct by 8.8-mm titanium clips. Then, we performed mass ligation of the thoracic duct with 11-mm titanium clips below the leakage point after careful dissection. The surgery took 58 min, with an estimated total blood loss of 0 g.DiscussionAlthough thoracic duct is anatomically located on the right side of the descending aorta, we employed a left-sided thoracoscopic approach due to the chylous leakage in the left thorax. With the patient in the prone position, surgeons can easily convert from a left thoracic approach to a right thoracic approach immediately without postural change if the thoracic duct cannot be found in the left thoracic cavity.ConclusionThis technique is useful and should be considered for patients with left chylothorax.     

Anesthetic management of a 1.7-kg premature infant undergoing thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation

We report successful anesthetic management of a 1.7-kg premature infant who underwent thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation under general anesthesia. She was born at 30 weeks gestation with birth weight of 1,546 g and was suffering from respiratory distress due to persistent right chylothorax for two months after birth. Chest tube drainage, fasting and intrapleural fibrin glue did not reduce her right chylothorax. Thoracoscopic thoracic duct ligation was scheduled on her day 64 under general anesthesia. The tracheal tube end was placed in the midtrachea and carbon dioxide was insufflated into the operative side of the thorax. During thoracoscopy her left lung was ventilated with the right lung pressed with spatulaes, but her respiratory status did not deteriorate so much despite of unilateral ventilation. We speculate that, due to massive right chylothorax, her pulmonary blood flow had already shifted to the left lung, therefore intraoperative substantial left unilateral lung ventilation exerted minimal effect on her respiratory status. The operation was successful and she was weaned from the ventilator on the following day.     

Advantage of earlier thoracoscopic clipping of thoracic duct for post-operation chylothorax following thoracic aneurysm surgery

We report that an earlier thoracoscopic clipping of the thoracic duct was advantageous in a case of post-operation chylothorax that occurred following thoracic aneurysm surgery. A 61-year-old man developed chylothrax on postoperative day 2 following graft replacement of the descending thoracic aorta using a left-sided thoracotomy. Since a replaced graft infection is lethal, earlier thoracoscopic clipping of the thoracic duct through the right side chest wall was indicated. The patient underwent thoracoscopic clipping on postoperative day 7 and was successfully treated. The duration of drainage was 2 days and oral intake was started on the seventh day. From our results, we recommend a thoracoscopic procedure through the opposite (right) side chest wall in the early stage of chylothorax development following thoracic aneurysm surgery.     

Use of LeVeen pleuroperitoneal shunt for refractory high-volume chylothorax

We present a case of intractable high-volume (> 2L/d) chylothorax after transhiatal esophagectomy treated successfully with the simultaneous insertion of both Denver (Denver Biomedical, Golden, CO) and LeVeen (Becton-Dickinson, Rutherford, NJ) pleuroperitoneal shunts. The patient initially had chemoradiotherapy for a T4N1 squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. Re-staging showed a dramatic shrinkage of tumor, and a transhiatal esophagectomy was performed. Sequential bilateral thoracotomies were performed on postoperative days 19 and 26 for attempted control of high-volume chylothorax, but these were unsuccessful. Subsequent pleuroperitoneal shunt insertion was used, which immediately controlled the effusion. A shunt study was performed shortly after hospital discharge, which showed an occluded Denver shunt and a patent LeVeen shunt. The patient succumbed to metastatic carcinoma 18 months after discharge, but no pleural effusion had recurred.     

结扎胸导管预防不同部位胸段食管癌切除术后乳糜胸的疗效分析

目的分析术中结扎胸导管对不同部位胸段食管癌患者手术后预防发生乳糜胸的作用。方法对2003年3月至2007年6月手术切除的胸段食管癌243例患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。根据不同病变部位将患者分为上段、中上段、中段、中下段和下段5组，了解不同部位胸段食管癌患者术中结扎和不结扎胸导管与术后乳糜胸发生有无相关性。结果术后共计8例患者出现乳糜胸，总发生率3．3％。上段病变结扎组乳糜胸发生3例，未结扎组5例；中上段病变结扎组和未结扎组均未发生乳糜胸；中段病变未结扎组1／28（3．6％）；中下段病变结扎组乳糜胸发生率1／39（2．6％），未结扎组1／35（2．9％）；下段病变结扎组乳糜胸发生率1／37（2．7％），未结扎组2／44（4．5％）。Logistic回归分析显示。不同部位胸段食管癌切除术中是否结扎胸导管结扎对术后乳糜胸的发生均无影响（P〉0．05）。结论预防性结扎胸导管不能降低不同部位胸段食管癌术后继发乳糜胸的发生率。     

Thoracoscopic resection of a thoracic duct cyst that developed during follow-up for a thymic cyst

A 29-year-old man had been diagnosed with an anterior mediastinal cyst 6 years earlier and was undergoing follow-up. At a follow-up visit, a newly developed cystic lesion was found in the middle mediastinum; therefore, the anterior mediastinal cyst and the middle mediastinal cyst were resected by thoracoscopic surgery. It was observed that the middle mediastinal cyst originated from the thoracic duct, and the thoracic duct was clipped. Pathologically, the diagnosis was a thymic cyst of the anterior mediastinum and a thoracic duct cyst of the middle mediastinum. The patient developed chylothorax after surgery, and a second thoracoscopic operation was performed. It revealed that part of the clipping of the caudal thoracic duct was incomplete, and leakage of chyle was observed. Hence, the clipping was performed again. The course after the second surgery was good. Thoracic duct cysts are rare even among mediastinal cysts and thus require caution due to their tendency to expand.     

Use of octreotide, a long-acting somatostatin analogue, in the treatment of chylothorax of idiopathic etiology

We describe a case of chylothorax of idiopathic etiology, treated with octreotide, a long-acting somatostatin analogue. A 30-year-old man with a left supraclavicular mass, and chylothorax, initially diagnosed by outpatient thoracentesis, underwent diagnostic surgery to ascertain the etiology of the pleural effusion. Biopsies of the left supraclavicular mass, lymphatic tissue and lymph nodes were benign. Triglyceride level in the pleural fluid was 396 mg/dL, diagnostic of chylothorax. Treatment included intravenous total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and a nil per os (NPO) diet. Subsequent surgical interventions included left lung decortication and glue-mediated control of chylothorax, combined with TPN and a strict low-fat diet. Given the persistency of chylothorax, thoracic duct ligation was also performed, and octreotide subcutaneous injections were started, with dramatic resolution of pleural effusion, after 1 week of treatment, in absence of any side effects. The patient fully recovered, and no relapse has been observed during a follow-up period of over 1 year. In conclusion, octreotide showed to be a valid and safe noninvasive approach for the treatment of chylothorax, whose early clinical use may also reduce the need for surgical intervention.     

Post-esophagectomy chylous leakage from a duplicated left-sided thoracic duct ligated successfully with left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Three months after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, a 58-year-old man presented with fluid trapped in his upper mediastinum due to chylous leakage from a duplicated left-sided thoracic duct that remained after excision of the main thoracic duct. Classical lymphangiography using lipiodol confirmed the presence of duplicated thoracic ducts. Conservative treatments were not effective, and then we performed ligation of the left-sided thoracic duct with left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Anatomic variations of the thoracic duct can result in chylous leakage after thoracic surgery. Even if the patient has anomaly of the thoracic duct, classical lymphangiography is useful for detecting locations of the thoracic duct precisely, allowing for certain ligation of the duct with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.     

Supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct clipping for chylothorax through left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Chylothorax is a life-threatening clinical entity. Traditional surgical management for cases refractory to conservative treatment is thoracic duct ligation through a right open thoracotomy or closure of the site of duct laceration through an open thoracotomy. We report herein two patients with left chylothorax successfully treated by supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct (STD) ligation through left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). This approach offers optimal exposure for the thoracic duct ligation and is useful for treatment of left chylothorax after left-sided thoracic surgery and idiopathic left chylothorax.