An interesting cause of chylopericardium after open heart surgery: a lymphatic channel.
Chylopericardium is a very rare complication after open heart surgery that is performed by median sternotomy. It is defined as uncontrollable chylous fluid loss, and may lead to hypoproteinemia, malnutrition, and immune deficiency; hence, overall increases postoperative morbidity. In this report, we present a case in which chylopericardium developed after coronary artery bypass grafting. The patient has been successfully treated; however, postoperative course was majorly complicated with the consequences of chylous fluid loss. Interestingly, the cause of the drainage was a lymphatic channel in the mediastinum. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature in which a lymphatic channel has been demonstrated sporadically in the mediastinum as a cause of chylopericardium following open heart surgery in the adulthood.
Selimoglu
Ozer
O
Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic, Goztepe Safak Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. ozerselimoglu@hotmail.com
Basaran
Murat
M
Ugurlucan
Murat
M
Temucin Dgus
Noyan
N
D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004322:Drainage; D006801:Humans; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery