[Treatment of chyle leak following radical resection for colorectal cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the treatment of chyle leak following radical resection for colorectal cancer.


METHODS
The incidence of chyle leak was compared between the different surgical approaches (open vs. laparoscopic) as well as different tumor locations (right, left colon or rectum) in 1259 patients undergoing radical resection for colorectal cancer.


RESULTS
Overall incidence of chyle leak was 3.6% (46/1259) after surgery. Forty-five patients were successfully managed by conservative treatment and one patient required re-operation. No patients died. The incidence of chyle leak was not significantly different between the open (3.2%, 18/570) and laparoscopic (4.1%, 28/689) groups (P>0.05). However, right colectomy was associated with a significantly higher rate of chyle leak (9.6%, 16/167) as compared to left colectomy(2.6%, 7/268) and anterior resection (2.8%, 23/824) (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Conservative treatment is effective in early stage of chyle leak after radical resection for colorectal cancer. Right colectomy is associated with higher risk for chyle leak.
Department of Colorectal Surgery, Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, China.
Xing-rong
XR
Lu
Hui-ming
HM
Lin
Pan
P
Chi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002915:Chylous Ascites / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003082:Colectomy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies