Mehnaz Atiq Ahmed Sr.
Liaquat National Hospital
Pakistan
Cureus
Cureus 2021; 13:
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.13811
Abstract
Chylothorax is a rare postoperative complication of congenital heart surgery. It has high morbidity with increased hospital stay and cost of treatment. Damage to the thoracic duct, disruption of accessory lymphatic vessels, and increased venous pressure exceeding that in the thoracic duct have been proposed as the possible causes of chylothorax after surgery for congenital heart disease. Prompt diagnose with early initiation of treatment will reduce the duration of drainage. Staged treatment is the general principle in managing this serious complication. Loss of chyle leads to volume, nutritional and electrolyte depletion, immunological deficiencies and hematological complications. Identifying the underlying cause and addressing it is crucial to definitive management.
Category
Pulmonary Lymphatic Disease
Review Articles Concerning Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Age Focus: Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Fresh or Filed Publication: Filed (PHiled). Greater than 1-2 years since publication
Article Access
Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: Yes