Abstract
Chylothorax is a rare clinical entity characterized by a milky white aspirate with increased triglyceride levels. The commonest aetiology is malignancy and trauma. Pulmonary tuberculosis is an extremely rare cause of chylothorax. Two children with chylothorax and pulmonary tuberculosis are described. One child had bilateral and the other unilateral chylous effusions. Extensive mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy was demonstrated. Diseased lymph nodes may infiltrate other intrathoracic structures such as the thoracic duct, and they can also obstruct the cisterna chyli and thoracic duct. A possible explanation for the development of a chylothorax in our patients is obstruction of the thoracic duct by tuberculous lymphadenopathy with subsequent increase in pressure in the surrounding lymphatic system and leaking of chyle into the pleural space.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Singh P, Shah KV, Shah NT et al (2005) Chylothorax: a rare presentation of constrictive pericarditis. Indian J Tuberc 52:207–210
Singh S, Girod JP, Ghobrial MW et al (2001) Chylothorax as a complication of tuberculosis in the setting of the human immunodeficiency virus infection. Arch Intern Med 161:2621
Doerr CH, Allen MS, Nichols FC et al (2005) Etiology of chylothorax in 203 patients. Mayo Clin Proc 80:867–870
Gie RP, Goussard P, Kling S et al (2004) Unusual forms of intrathoracic tuberculosis in children and their management. Paediatr Respir Rev 5(Suppl A):S139–S141
Vennera MC, Moreno R, Cot J et al (1983) Chylothorax and tuberculosis. Thorax 38:694–695
Marais BJ, Gie RP, Schaaf HS et al (2004) A proposed radiological classification of childhood intrathoracic tuberculosis. Pediatr Radiol 34:886–894
Anton PA, Rubio J, Casán P et al (1995) Chylothorax due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Thorax 50:1019
Andronikou S, Joseph E, Lucas S et al (2004) CT scanning for the detection of tuberculous mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy in children. Pediatr Radiol 34:232–236
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grobbelaar, M., Andronikou, S., Goussard, P. et al. Chylothorax as a complication of pulmonary tuberculosis in children. Pediatr Radiol 38, 224–226 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-007-0634-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-007-0634-7