title: Supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct clipping for chylothorax through left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.
abstract: Chylothorax is a life-threatening clinical entity. Traditional surgical management for cases refractory to conservative treatment is thoracic duct ligation through a right open thoracotomy or closure of the site of duct laceration through an open thoracotomy. We report herein two patients with left chylothorax successfully treated by supradiaphragmatic thoracic duct (STD) ligation through left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). This approach offers optimal exposure for the thoracic duct ligation and is useful for treatment of left chylothorax after left-sided thoracic surgery and idiopathic left chylothorax.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan. atsushiw@sapmed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyanagi
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higami
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*