Is oral nutritional therapy effective for the treatment of chylothorax? A case report.
We report a case of a female patient who underwent corrective aortic coarctation surgery that progressed to chylothorax on the fifth postoperative day. Because the patient was clinically stable and had a functioning digestive tract, the nutritional team decided to treat her by oral nutritional support with a low-lipid diet, rich in medium-chain triacylglycerols. After 20 d, the patient returned to her habitual home diet and did not develop pleural spilling, showing full healing of the thoracic duct.
Machado
Juliana Deh Carvalho
JD
Department of Clinical Medicine, Hospital of the School of Medicine of Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. juliana@infonet.com.br
Suen
Vivian Miguel Marques
VM
Marchini
Júlio Sérgio
JS
D000328:Adult; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D044623:Nutrition Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014280:Triglycerides