• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.423-426
• /
• 2014

A 67-year-old male patient came to the hospital due to lung cancer and mediastinal cystic mass which was suspected to be esophageal duplication cyst. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed and intra-operative finding suggested it as a cystic mass along the thoracic duct. Thoracic duct was ligated and the cyst was completely resected. A 48-year-old female patient visited the hospital for dysphagia. Mediastinal cystic mass was suspected to be an esophageal duplication cyst. Intraoperative finding suggest a thoracic duct lymphangioma. After thoracic duct ligation, the mass was completely resected with VATS. Postoperative chylothorax did not develop in both cases.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.182-186
• /
• 2018

Dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance lymphangiography can be used to provide anatomic and dynamic information for various lymphatic diseases, including thoracic duct injury, and can also help to guide the thoracic duct embolization procedure. We present a case of postoperative chylothorax demonstrated by dynamic enhanced MR lymphangiography. In this case, the chyle leakage site and location of cisterna chyli were clearly visualized by dynamic enhanced MR lymphangiography, thus allowing for management with thoracic duct embolization.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.225-227
• /
• 2015

Thoracic duct cysts in the upper portion of the diaphragm are mostly found in the neck and are rarely found in the mediastinum. Thoracic duct cysts should be differentiated from other mediastinal tumors or cysts, and surgical treatment is required to avoid the development of chylothorax if the cyst ruptures. Herein, we report the case of a patient with a thoracic cyst located just above the diaphragm that was treated with surgical resection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.36 no.11
• /
• pp.883-885
• /
• 2003

Traditional surgical management of chylothorax refractory to conservative treatment is thoracic duct ligation through a right open thoracotomy. A new surgical procedure of ligation of the thoracic duct via extrapleural approach is presented. Its advantages are less invasive, no need of a new drainage tube, and easier to expose the thoracic duct than the conventional transthoracic approach. We experienced a new surgical method in the treatment of the chylothorax and report it with literatures.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.83-85
• /
• 2011

The thoracic duct cyst is an extremely rare cystic lesion in the mediastinum. Surgical treatment of the cyst is necessary to confirm histologic diagnosis and prevent potential complications such as spontaneous or traumatic rupture of the cyst and chylothorax.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.74-77
• /
• 2015

Chylothorax is a rare postoperative complication of a thoracic surgical procedure. Here, we report a case of chylothorax after thoracic endovascular aortic repair with debranching for the distal arch aneurysm of the aorta. First, the patient was treated by a medical method (nil per os, fat-free diet, and octreotide), but this method failed. The patient strongly refused surgical treatment. Therefore, we tried to occlude the thoracic duct by lymphangiography Lipiodol, and this line of treatment was successful.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.200-204
• /
• 2020

Postoperative chylothorax is a rare occurrence after various thoracic surgical procedures, but it poses a substantial risk of morbidity and mortality. Thoracic duct embolization (TDE) is currently deemed the optimal treatment due to its safety and efficacy. This review offers an introduction to interventional options in this setting, detailing the steps of TDE for the edification of those engaged in postoperative care.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.191-195
• /
• 1988

Chylothorax in the neonatal period is a rare cause of respiratory distress. Surgical ligation of the thoracic duct is rarely necessary in congenital chylothorax. A 3 day-old newborn delivered by the cesarean section showed signs of respiratory distress suddenly and diagnosed as chylothorax on the right hemithorax. Conservative management such as multiple thoracenteses and tube thoracostomy drainage with nutritional support failed to close the leakage. At age of 60 days, we performed a supradiaphragmatic mass ligature of the thoracic duct visualized after injection of methylene blue into the thigh subcutaneously. Postoperatively, chylous effusion occurred in the left hemithorax and successfully treated with chest tube drainage for several days.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.89-92
• /
• 2016

Non-surgical traumatic chylothorax following blunt chest trauma is rare, with only a few cases having been reported. In general, conservative treatment measures are recommended as initial management of traumatic chylothorax; these include closed thoracostomy, dietary restriction, and parenteral nutrition. There are few reports of surgery for traumatic chylothorax. We report our experience with thoracic duct ligation using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in a patient with chylothorax following blunt chest injury with associated fractures of the thoracic spine.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.191-199
• /
• 2020

Surgeons recommend dissecting lymph nodes in the thorax, abdomen, and neck during surgery for esophageal cancer because of the possibility of metastasis to the lymph nodes in those areas through the lymphatic plexus of the esophageal submucosal layer. Extensive lymph node dissection is essential for accurate staging and is thought to improve survival. However, it can result in several complications, including chyle leakage, which refers to continuous lymphatic fluid leakage and can occur in the thorax, abdomen, and neck. Malnutrition, fluid imbalance, and immune compromise may result from chyle leakage, which can be potentially life-threatening if it persists. Therefore, various treatment methods, including conservative treatment, pharmacological treatment such as octreotide infusion, and interventions such as thoracic duct embolization and surgical thoracic duct ligation, have been applied. In this article, the risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment methods of chyle leakage after esophagectomy are reviewed.