Early endoscopic treatment of chylothorax develops after surgical treatment of lung cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
Chylothorax which occasionally develops after surgical treatment of lung cancer is generally treated conservatively, and surgical treatment is limited to patients who do not respond well to conservative treatment.


METHODS
Of the 941 lung cancer operation, 6 patients in whom Chylothorax developed after surgical treatment of lung cancer were evaluated for its characteristics and outcome.


RESULTS
Two patients underwent thoracoscopic treatment. The duration of drainage was shorter for the 2 patients undergoing chylothorax operation than for the 4 patients who underwent conservative treatment. The mean duration of hospitalization after surgical treatment of lung cancer was 24 days for the patients who underwent conservative treatment alone and 12.5 days for the patients who underwent chylothorax operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients in whom chylothorax develops after surgical treatment of lung cancer should promptly undergo operation when the volume of chylous fluid is not decreased by conservative treatment.
Kanzaki
Masato
M
Department of Surgery I, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8-1 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
Sasano
Susumu
S
Murasugi
Masahide
M
Oyama
Kunihiro
K
Kuwata
Hiromi
H
Onuki
Takamasa
T
D000368:Aged; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013997:Time Factors