The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2009 , Vol 51 , Num 5
Bilateral Chylothorax After Blunt Thoracic Trauma: A Case Report
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Traumatic chylothorax other than iatrogenic thoracic duct injury is extremely
rare in children. Chylothorax can cause cardiopulmonary abnormalities
and significant nutritional, metabolic and immunologic consequences. The
management of chylothorax ranges from conservative treatment to surgical
intervention. We present a four-year-old boy who presented with respiratory
difficulty due to multiple rib fractures and bilateral chylothorax, which
developed after a blunt chest trauma. The patient was successfully treated
through a conservative approach with total parenteral nutrition, nothing by
mouth, and bilateral chest tube drainage. The nature of pleural effusion
developed following a blunt thoracic trauma is important in the management
of trauma patients.
Keywords :
chylothorax, blunt chest trauma, childhood.