Chylothorax after endoscopic sympathectomy: case report.
Endoscopic sympathectomy is a new trend for the treatment of hyperhidrosis palmaris. It is a simple and effective technique; however, it carries some recognized risks such as Horner's syndrome and pneumohemothorax. We recently encountered a case complicated by the development of a chylothorax. The patient was a 23-year-old healthy women with profuse palmar sweating. She developed an intractable dry cough after a transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy. A chest x-ray revealed a left pleural effusion. A chylous effusion was found after thoracentesis and fluid analysis. The pleural effusion resolved after chest tube drainage and diet control. Although endoscopic sympathectomy is a simple and quick procedure, unusual complications, such as chylothorax, may occur. Appropriate early recognition and treatment can prevent a disastrous result.
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Medical College, Taiwan, Republic of China.
W C
WC
Cheng
C N
CN
Chang
T K
TK
Lin
D000328:Adult; D015505:Chest Tubes; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013562:Sympathectomy; D013906:Thoracoscopy