Chylous ascites after oncological abdominal surgery: incidence and treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Chylous ascites can be a problem after oncological abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to report the incidence and the management of the problem.


METHODS
A retrospective study over a 2-year period of all oncological patients undergoing abdominal surgical procedures was carried out. Patients with resections in the upper abdomen and retroperitoneum were studied in more detail.


RESULTS
Twelve (7.4%) of 163 patients with complex surgical procedures developed a chyloperitoneum. Chylous ascites stopped in time with conservative management in nine patients. Three patients had a peritoneovenous shunt inserted with success. No relaparotomies to ligate leaking intestinal lymph vessels were necessary.
Kaas
R
R
Department of Surgery, Netherlands Cancer Institute/Ant. van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Rustman
L D
LD
Zoetmulder
F A
FA
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002915:Chylous Ascites / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010536:Peritoneovenous Shunt; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies