• Robert James Cerfolio.
• Section of General Thoracic Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. Rcerfolio@surg.uab.edu
• Thorac Surg Clin. 2006 Feb 1; 16 (1): 49-52.

AbstractIn conclusion, chylothorax after esophagectomy is a devastating complication with high mortality rates if not corrected. A heightened awareness of this complication with early diagnosis and aggressive reoperation leads to excellent outcome. Reoperation is not indicated only when medical therapy significantly slows the daily loss of chyle and there are no metabolic consequences. The early decision to reoperate avoids the high morbidity of a persistently unchecked chylothorax. Reoperation should be based on the approach initially used for the esophagectomy, the location of the leak, and the side that has the chylothorax. The conduit should be handled carefully at the time of reoperation, the leak identified, the duct or the leaking nodal basin clipped and glued, and a pleurodesis performed. Following these principles minimizes the morbidity of a serious postoperative complication.

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