title: [Clinical features of postoperative chylothorax for lung cancer and esophageal cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define the clinical features of postoperative chylothorax for lung cancer (PCLC), and to compare them with those for esophageal cancer (PCEC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analysed clinical characteristics of 12 patients with chylothorax among 4 084 patients receiving resection of lung cancer, as well as 52 in 4 479 patients having resection of esophageal cancer since 1985 at our hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of PCLC was 0.29% and that of PCEC was 1.16%. The percentage of diagnosis confirmed within 4 postoperative days was 33.3% for PCLC, and 76.9% for PCEC. The rate of typical chylous pleural effusion was 83.3% for PCLC, and 5.8% for PCEC. Symptoms and signs of PCLC were much milder than those of PCEC. The re-operation rate was 16.7% for PCLC, and 96.2% for PCEC. All patients were discharged uneventfully.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence, causes, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of PCLC is different from those of PCEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: De-chao
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liang-jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ru-gang
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*