Novel Management of Intractable Cervical Chylous Fistula with Local Application of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Injection.

OBJECTIVE Cervical chylous fistula is an uncommon complication after neck dissection, but it might lead to some serious clinical outcomes. Although most cervical chylous fistulas can heal in a few days with standard treatments, some can be intractable. In this study, we describe a new method with local application of Pseudomonas aeruginosa injection for intractable cervical chylous fistula. STUDY DESIGN Case series with chart review. SETTING West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The charts of 18 patients who were treated with P aeruginosa injection (PAI) for intractable cervical chylous fistula were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS All patients were successfully treated with PAI. Mild fever (temperature, <38°C) occurred in 9 patients, moderate fever (38°C-39°C) in 4 patients, and severe fever (>39°C) in 5 patients. All patients had mild to severe neck pain. CONCLUSIONS Local application of PAI is an effective method for the treatment of intractable cervical chylous fistula, of which the most common side effects are transient fever and local pain.