Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2007; 55(4): 274-276
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-955882
Case Reports

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Chylothorax Following Extended Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis

C.-S. Huang1 , H.-S. Hsu1 , K.-P. Kao2 , C.-C. Hsieh1 , Y.-C. Wu1 , W.-H. Hsu1 , B.-S. Huang1 , 3
  • 1Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
  • 2Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
  • 3Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

Received July 15, 2006

Publikationsdatum:
04. Juni 2007 (online)

Introduction

Postoperative chylothorax is an uncommon but well-known complication in cardiovascular and thoracic operations. This debilitating complication may develop after carrying out procedures involving the heart, lungs, aorta, esophagus, sympathetic chain, and subclavian vessels anywhere along the path of the thoracic duct between the diaphragm and the neck. Its occurrence after thymectomy is rare.

References

  • 1 Davis M K. A statistical study of the thoracic duct in man.  Am J Anat. 1915;  171 212
  • 2 Van Pernis P A. Variation of the thoracic duct.  Surgery. 1949;  26 308
  • 3 Kausel W H, Reeve T S, Stain A A. Anatomic and pathologic studies of the thoracic duct.  J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1957;  34 631
  • 4 Ferguson M K, Little A G, Skinner D B. Current concepts in the management of postoperative chylothorax.  Ann Thorac Surg. 1985;  40 542-545
  • 5 Zaidenstein R, Cohen N, Dishi V, Alon I, Golik A, Modai D. Chylothorax following median sternotomy.  Clin Cardiol. 1996;  19 910-912

MD, PhD Biing-Shiun Huang

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery
Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming-University, School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University
201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road

Taipei

Taiwan - Republic of China

Fax: + 88 62 28 73 14 88

eMail: bshuang@vghtpe.gov.tw