POST-LYMPHANGIOGRAPHIC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN CHYLOTHORAX AFTER ESOPHAGOGASTRECTOMY: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Chylothorax is a rare complication ofthoracic surgery. Lymphangiography haslong been considered to be the standard ofreference for diagnosis and post-treatmentevaluation while the role of post-lymangiographicCT is debated. We report a case ofchylothorax in a 68-year-old male followingesophagogastrectomy for which conservativetreatment and thoracic duct ligation failed.Lymphangiography performed after theseattempts revealed persistent thoracic ductleakage into the right pleural space. Subsequentnon-contrast CT and reformattedimages clearly depicted the sources of leakage,and this documentation targeted directpercutaneous treatment. Unfortunately, thelack of access precluded the planned percutaneousCT-guided embolization of the thoracicduct. Nevertheless, this case suggests thatpost- lymphangiographic CT can serve as avalue-added modality in the evaluation andpotential treatment of chylothorax.