In the past 12 years, we have encountered five cases of chylothorax following intrapericardial cardiac surgery.
Four of the patients were successfully treated by conservative therapy, namely, chest drainage, low fat diet, MCT (medium chain triglyceride) and cardiac diuretic. In these patients, the amount of chylus was reduced within two weeks.
Only one case needed ligation of the thoracic duct ligation after two months of conservative therapy.
The above results indicate that, patients with chylothorax after intrapericardial operation should be treated with a non fat diet from the beginning. When conservative treatment is not effective within two weeks, surgical ligation of the thoracic duct should be chosen.
