Right-Sided Chylothorax: A Case Report of an Uncommon Manifestation After Cervical Debranching Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

• Published in: Vascular and endovascular surgery Vol. 56; no. 6; pp. 602 - 604
• Main Authors: Sasaki, Hanae, Kowatari, Ryosuke, Kondo, Norihiro, Taguchi, Ryo, Minakawa, Masahito
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-08-2022
• Subjects: thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair; Thoracic aortic aneurysm; chylothorax
• ISSN: 1538-5744; 1938-9116
• DOI: 10.1177/15385744221090909

A 70-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a thoracic aortic aneurysm. He underwent elective thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair with left common carotid artery-left subclavian artery bypass via the left supraclavicular approach. During the bypass, the thoracic duct was injured and ligated. On postoperative day 3, the patient complained of dyspnea. Chest radiography revealed a massive right-sided pleural effusion. On postoperative day 5, he was diagnosed with right-sided chylothorax and underwent chest tube insertion. The next day, a left-sided chylothorax was noted, and chest tube drainage was performed. Conservative management, including nil per os and subcutaneous octreotide (300 μg/day) injection, was carried out for 2 weeks; subsequently, the chylothorax improved. This report highlights the diagnostic challenge of right-sided chylothorax after debranching thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair.