Bilateral spontaneous chylothorax presenting as a neck mass.
Chylothorax is a relatively rare condition. Bilateral chylothorax is even more unusual with the majority resulting from trauma or in association with a neoplasm. We describe a case of bilateral spontaneous chylothorax which presented as a sudden neck mass in a 45 year old, healthy female. A complete evaluation failed to reveal any cause. Successful management included thoracentesis and a medium chain triglyceride diet. The patient remains well with a normal chest x-ray and CAT scan of the thorax and abdomen at one year. Spontaneous bilateral chylothorax presenting as a neck mass with no evidence of trauma or tumor has, to our knowledge, not previously been reported in the literature.
D002916:Chylothorax / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000178:diet therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged