Journal of cardiac surgery
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Chylothorax after congenital heart surgery (CHD) is a potentially challenging complication. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with the management of chylothorax following congenital heart surgery. ⋯ Postoperative chylothorax is an infrequent complication of surgery for congenital heart disease and can occur even after median sternotomy in the absence of pathologically elevated venous pressure or Fontan circulation. Although hospitalization can be prolonged, conservative therapy is effective in most cases, while surgical pleurodesis proved successful in the refractory cases.