title: [Diagnosis, management and treatment of chylothorax].
abstract: Chylothorax is characterized by a milky pleural effusion that results from the injury to the thoracic duct, causing leakage of chyle into the pleural space. Its diagnosis relies primarily, on the determination of triglycerides and/or the identification of chylomicrons in the pleural fluid. The most common causes are traumatic, mainly after surgery. Among non-traumatic causes, tumors are the most frequent (like lymphomas). Conservative treatment is based on pleural drainage with a low fat diet and appropriate etiological approach. In case of failure, occlusion of the thoracic lymph duct should be considered, either by a surgical approach or interventional radiology.
authors.forename: Marie-Éva
authors.initials: MÉ
authors.lastname: Laurencet
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kherad
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: Alain Bigin
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Younossian
mesh_terms: D002913:Chyle / Q000378:metabolism*; D002916:Chylothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013897:Thoracic Duct / Q000293:injuries