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Choi, Kang, Kim, Seo, Jung, Kim, and Lim: A Case of Chylothorax after Tube Thoracostomy
Case Report
Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2012; 72(1): 59-62.

Published online: 30 January 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2012.72.1.59

A Case of Chylothorax after Tube Thoracostomy

Kyu-Un Choi, M.D., Gyung-Hoon Kang, M.D., Sung-Hoon Kim, M.D., Hyun-Woong Seo, M.D., Bock-Hyun Jung, M.D., Ph.D., Sung-Soo Kim, M.D., Ph.D., Jaemin Lim, M.D.

Department of Internal Medicine, Gangneung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Jaemin Lim, M.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Gangneung Asan Hospital, 415, Bangdong-ri, Sacheon-myeon, Gangneung 201-711, Korea. Phone: 82-33-610-3057, Fax: 82-33-641-8130, drjaemin@gmail.com

Received 4 July 2011       Revised 28 July 2011       Accepted 24 August 2011

Copyright © 2012. The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases. All rights reserved.

Abstract

Tube thoracostomy is known to cause complications such as bleeding or infection, but the incidence of chylothorax secondary to tube thoracostomy is under-reported, and therefore, we report this case. A patient was diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus with pleural and pericardial involvement. During repeated therapeutic thoracentesis, which were performed because of poor response to steroids and cylophosphamide, hemothorax developed and we therefore inserted a chest tube. The pleural effusion changed from red to milky color in several hours and we diagnosed the pleural effusion as chylothorax. Total parenteral nutrition based on medium-chain triglycerides was supplied to this patient and chylothorax was improved after 4 days.

Keywords: Chylothorax, Chest Tubes, Complications

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
(A) Chest X-ray study before thoracentesis. (B) Large amount of pleural effusion occurred after thoracentesis due to iatrogenic hemothorax. (C) After chest tube insertion.
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Figure 2
Gross finding of pleural fluid after chest tube thoracostomy. The milky appearance of the pleural fluid with a top white, creamy layer in the container.
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Table 1
Pleural fluid profiles, lipid studies and lipoprotein electrophoresis
trd-72-59-i001

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