Chylothorax, the accumulation of fatty fluid within the chest cavity, is associated with multiple etiologies including surgical injuries. A rare complication of acupuncture in a 37-year-old woman who developed left pneumothorax and pleural fluid collection after acupuncture was performed on the neck and upper back is described. Chest tube drainage resulted in complete lung expansion, and analys...

Gorham disease is a rare chronic disorder that is characterized by the abnormal proliferation of thin-walled capillaries and small lymphatic vessels that results in the massive osteolysis of adjacent bone. Clinical manifestations are determined by the area of involvement, which may include the chest and ribs. The case presented involves a 47-year-old man with Gorham disease complicated by unila...

A 44-year-old woman was seen with the clinical and histologic picture of lymphangiomyomatosis syndrome. She also had dermatologic and neurologic stigmata of tuberous sclerosis. After the development of a recurring chylothorax, she had a downhill course unresponsive to dietary, bronchodilator, corticosteroid and progesterone therapy. In an open lung specimen, the search for steroid receptor for ...

Gorham’s disease, also known as massive osteolysis, is characterized by unregulated proliferation of lymphatic or vascular capillaries within bone, resulting in destruction and replacement with angiomatous tissue. This disease can lead to chylothorax that can be lethal. Viscum album extract from European mistletoe is a complementary anti-cancer drug which is commonly prescribed in many European...

Four pediatric cases of chylothorax after cardiothoracic surgery, which were managed surgically, are reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent right thoracotomy and mass ligation of the right thoracic duct without detecting the true site of leakage. Although 1 patient died from heart failure the day after operation, the other 3 recovered quickly without sequelae. Based on our limited exp...

Chylothorax originating in a patient with Schimmelpenning syndrome is rare and poses a problem in diagnosis and treatment. A 22-year-old male was admitted with dyspnea indicative of a large pleural chylous effusion. Besides conservative dietary treatment measures, the chylous effusion was drained (2,000 mL/day). Computed tomography-lymphography after ligation of the thoracic duct and pleurectom...

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease that leads to airways and lymphatic channels obstruction due to abnormal smooth muscle proliferation. It presents with dyspnea, pneumothorax or chylothorax. Lung transplantation (LT) has emerged as a valuable therapeutic option with limited reports. We report a case of LAM that underwent double LT and complicated by refractory bilateral chylothor...

We report a case of fetal chylothorax and hydrops. Chylothorax is a very rare condition, occurring in approximately 1 in 10000-15000 pregnancies, with an overall mortality rate of 25% to 50%. It is the most common form of pleural effusion in the prenatal period. Available treatments include thoracocentesis, pleuro-amniotic shunting and pleurodesis and the optimal antenatal management and timing...

Chylothorax was probably first described by Aseli in 1677 (cited by Kirkland, 1965). It can occur neonatally and during infancy, in childhood, and in adult life. In the neonatal period less than 20 cases had been recorded up to 1965 (Kirkland, 1965). These were considered to be due to a congenital defect in the thoracic duct, and in a few to birth trauma, convulsions, or respiratory obstruction...