title: Chylous reflux into localized pulmonary lymphangiectasis.
abstract: Spontaneous chylothorax is uncommon and may originate from different etiologies either pleural, pulmonary, or mediastinal. Chyloptysis is a still rarer clinical problem and always of pulmonary origin. We report 2 cases: the first, a 63-year-old woman presenting with a chylothorax, and the second, a 28-year-old man with chyloptysis. Both were successfully treated with a medium chain triglyceride diet. Lymphangiograms demonstrated an identical origin for the 2 cases: reflux from the thoracic duct into right lower lobe lung lymphangiectasis. In our experience, chylous reflux into pulmonary lymphangiectasis is not as rare as believed and many cases probably remain undiagnosed.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Thoracique, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Le Pimpec-Arthes
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badia
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Febvre
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Legman
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riquet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002913:Chyle; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008200:Lymphangiectasis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged