Chylothorax complicating pneumonectomy.

Chylothorax is an uncommon clinical entity caused by obstruction or rupture of the thoracic duct. Malignant disease, mostly lymphoma or metastatic carcinoma, accounts for half and surgical trauma for a quarter of all cases.' Occasionally, chylothorax is caused by thrombosis of the great veins, benign cysts, or lymphangiomas of the thoracic duct, tuberculosis, mediastinitis, paravertebral abscess, filariasis, or amyloidosis. We present an unusual case of postpneumonectomy chylothorax with serious haemodynamic effects necessitating reoperation.