title: Bilateral chylothorax after blunt thoracic trauma: a case report.
abstract: Traumatic chylothorax other than iatrogenic thoracic duct injury is extremely rare in children. Chylothorax can cause cardiopulmonary abnormalities and significant nutritional, metabolic and immunologic consequences. The management of chylothorax ranges from conservative treatment to surgical intervention. We present a four-year-old boy who presented with respiratory difficulty due to multiple rib fractures and bilateral chylothorax, which developed after a blunt chest trauma. The patient was successfully treated through a conservative approach with total parenteral nutrition, nothing by mouth, and bilateral chest tube drainage. The nature of pleural effusion developed following a blunt thoracic trauma is important in the management of trauma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Semire
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serin-Ezer
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oğuzkurt
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ince
authors.forename: Akgün
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hiçsönmez
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004322:Drainage; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D011859:Radiography; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging