Reliability of Poirier's triangle in localizing the thoracic duct in the thorax.
OBJECTIVE
Preemptive ligation of the thoracic duct (TD) is occasionally performed during cardiothoracic procedures to prevent chylothorax. Landmarks for localizing this structure are thus important to the surgeon during such procedures. One historically used area for identifying this structure in the thorax is Poirier's triangle. The present paper aimed to investigate the relationship of the TD to Poirier's triangle.


METHODS
We evaluated the use of this geometric area in localizing the TD in 35 adult cadavers.


RESULTS
Poirier's triangle was found in all specimens, but the TD was found within the confines of Poirier's triangle in only 17 specimens (45.7%). When not identified in Poirier's triangle, the regional TD was often (28.6%) seen in the interval between the proximal left subclavian and left common carotid arteries.


CONCLUSIONS
These data may be of use to the surgeon when identifying the proximal TD within the thorax.
Tubbs
R Shane
RS
Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, AL, USA. rstubbs@uab.edu
Noordeh
Nima
N
Parmar
Abhisek
A
Cömert
Ayhan
A
Loukas
Marios
M
Shoja
Mohammadali M
MM
Cohen-Gadol
Aaron A
AA
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013909:Thorax / Q000033:anatomy & histology*