A Case of Chylorrhea After Neck Dissection in Which Preoperative Ingestion of Ice Cream Was Effective for Lymphatic Ligation

Abstract

Postoperative chylorrhea in the head and neck region is mainly encountered as a complication of lateral neck dissection. Conservative treatment includes clamping or removal of the drain, local compression, fat-restricted diet, fasting, systemic administration of somatostatin analogues, and local minocycline infusion therapy. If conservative treatment proves ineffective, lymph duct ligation is indicated. When performing lymph duct ligation, having the patient ingest fat before surgery is effective for identifying the site of the lymphatic leak. We report a case of refractory chylorrhea after thyroid cancer surgery, which was successfully controlled by preoperative ice cream ingestion by the patient. Based on this case, we concluded that preoperative ingestion of high-fat ice cream is useful for identifying the site of chylorrhea and confirming stoppage of chylorrhea.