Bilateral chylothorax following neck dissection: a case report.
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BORIS DOI
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
24885488
Description
BACKGROUND
Chylothorax is an extremely rare but potentially life-threatening complication after radical neck dissection. We report the case of a bilateral chylothorax after total thyroidectomy and cervico-central and cervico-lateral lymphadenectomy for thyroid carcinoma.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 40-year-old European woman underwent total thyroidectomy and neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma. Postoperatively she developed dyspnoea and pleural effusion. A chylothorax was found and the initial conservative therapy was not successful. She had to be operated on again and the thoracic duct was legated.
CONCLUSION
The case presentation reports a very rare complication after total thyroidectomy and neck dissection, but it has to be kept in mind to prevent dangerous complications.
Chylothorax is an extremely rare but potentially life-threatening complication after radical neck dissection. We report the case of a bilateral chylothorax after total thyroidectomy and cervico-central and cervico-lateral lymphadenectomy for thyroid carcinoma.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 40-year-old European woman underwent total thyroidectomy and neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma. Postoperatively she developed dyspnoea and pleural effusion. A chylothorax was found and the initial conservative therapy was not successful. She had to be operated on again and the thoracic duct was legated.
CONCLUSION
The case presentation reports a very rare complication after total thyroidectomy and neck dissection, but it has to be kept in mind to prevent dangerous complications.
Date of Publication
2014
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Keyword(s)
Thyroidectomy
•
Neck dissection
•
Bilateral chylothorax
Language(s)
en
Contributor(s)
Series
BMC research notes
Publisher
Biomed Central
ISSN
1756-0500
Access(Rights)
open.access