title: Postesophagectomy mediastinal chylothorax causing upper airway obstruction misdiagnosed as asthma: a report of two cases.
abstract: Injury to the thoracic duct resulting in chylothorax is an uncommon but well-documented complication of esophagectomy. In two cases, which were associated with signs of life-threatening upper airway obstruction, an initial diagnosis of asthma was made. It appears that this complication of esophagectomy has not been reported previously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthetics, City General Hospital, Staffordshire, England.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Theaker
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000293:injuries*