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Use of Omentum as a Physiologic Drain for Treatment of Chylothorax in a Dog
Author(s) -
Williams John M.,
Niles Jacqui D.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
veterinary surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1532-950X
pISSN - 0161-3499
DOI - 10.1053/jvet.1999.0061
Subject(s) - medicine , chylothorax , thoracic duct , surgery , diaphragm (acoustics) , pleural effusion , thoracic cavity , pleural cavity , effusion , lymphatic system , pathology , physics , acoustics , loudspeaker
Objectives— To describe a novel technique for the surgical treatment of idiopathic chylothorax in a dog. Animals— A 6‐year‐old, male Rhodesian Ridgeback, which presented with a history of reduced exercise tolerance and dyspnea. Methods— Idiopathic chylothorax was diagnosed. Intermittent pleural drainage failed to resolve the problem. During surgery, extensive pleural fibrosis made it impossible to identify the thoracic duct. A dorsal omental pedicle was advanced through an incision in the diaphragm and into the cranial thoracic cavity to act as a physiological drain. Results— The dog recovered well and has remained free from clinical signs of recurrence of the effusion (16 months at the time of writing). Conclusions— The disease‐free interval achieved in this dog indicates that this novel technique is worthy of further consideration in the management of idiopathic chylothorax.