Surgical treatment of recurrent pseudochylothorax occurring after therapy of tuberculous pleurisy.
10.12701/yujm.2014.31.1.65
- Author:
Jae Ryung YI
1
;
Woo Sik KIM
;
Eun Jung JEONG
;
Yu Na JUNG
;
Hee Sook LEE
;
Gi Ho JO
;
Ji Yeon LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. jedidiah125@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Pseudochylothorax;
tuberculosis;
Cholesterol;
Pleural effusion;
Decortication
- MeSH:
Catheters;
Cholesterol;
Drainage;
Dyspnea;
Emergency Service, Hospital;
Humans;
Lung;
Middle Aged;
Pleural Effusion;
Pleurisy;
Postoperative Complications;
Thoracic Duct;
Thorax;
Tuberculosis;
Tuberculosis, Pleural*
- From:Yeungnam University Journal of Medicine
2014;31(1):65-68
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Pseudochylothorax is an uncommon pleural effusion disease characterized by the presence of cholesterol crystals or high lipid content not resulting from a disrupted thoracic duct. Most of the cases reported so far had been found in patients with long-standing pleural effusion due to a chronic inflammatory disease such as old tuberculous pleurisy or chronic rheumatoid pleurisy. Authors encountered a case of pseudochylothorax in a 45-year-old man who had been treated for tuberculous pleurisy 6 years before his visit to authors' hospital. After that, he had visited the emergency department many times for removal of pleural effusion. The patient's chest X-ray revealed dyspnea and large left-sided pleural effusion. Although a large amount of pleural fluid was removed with a drainage catheter, massive pleural effusion was likely to recur, and the underlying lung was able to fully re-expand. Accordingly, decortication was done, and the patient's symptom was improved without postoperative complications.
