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Nonoperative Management of Traumatic Chylothorax

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Abstract

Chylothorax is known for its rarity, and its diagnosis following blunt chest trauma is exceptional. Only a small number of cases have been reported in the literature. Severe consequences, such as cardiopulmonary abnormalities and metabolic, nutritional, and immunologic disorders, can result from chylothorax. Management of chylothorax is challenging. It can either be managed nonoperatively or surgically. Surgical treatment is required in cases of persistent or high output fistulae. We report here in three cases of blunt trauma chest following road traffic crash associated with chylothorax. All of them were successfully managed nonoperatively with inter costal tube drainage and supportive treatment sans need of any operative intervention.

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No financial grant has been received for this study.

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Correspondence to Subodh Kumar.

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Kumar, S., Mishra, B., Krishna, A. et al. Nonoperative Management of Traumatic Chylothorax. Indian J Surg 75 (Suppl 1), 465–468 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-012-0798-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-012-0798-8

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