Abstract
A 68-year-old woman underwent a lower anterior resection of the rectum for adenocarcinoma of the rectum in November, 1993. Postoperatively, an IVH catheter caused thrombophlebitis of the innominate vein and a transient SVC syndrome.
A routine chest X-ray photograph in April, 1994 revealed considerable pleural effusion which was found by thoracentesis to be chyle. Repeated thoracentesis and fasting therapy failed to relieve the chylothorax. Thoracoscopic surgery with stapling of the thoracic duct at the level of the diaphragm stopped the flow of chyle.
