Application of non dissecting thoracic duct ligation cutting in treatment of recurrent chylothorax / 临床外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the results of non dissecting thoracic duct ligation cutting in treatment of recurrent chylothorax.Methods 22 patients suffered from recurrent chylothorax after original thoracic duct ligation surgery were enrolled and their clinical characteristics were collected,including previous thoracic surgical procedure, previous surgical approach,recurrent chylothorax side and postoperative complications.The probable causes of chylothorax recurrence were analyzed and targeted improvements were made,based on the traditional mass ligation procedure of the thoracic duct.Through the previous approach,non dissecting thoracic duct ligation combined with transection of the posterior mediastinal tissue,except esophagus and thoracic aorta,was applied during the reoperation for the recurrent chylothorax.Results All the patients were recovery form chylothorax after reoperations.There were no severe postoperative complications except one patient suffered from respiratory failure.All the patients discharged evenly without chylothorax recurrence during one-year follow-up period.Conclusion Recurrent chylothorax could be successfully and safely treated by non-anatomical mass ligation combined with transection of the thoracic duct,for the anatomical foundation of chylothorax recurrence had been eliminated.