Open AccessManagement of Retroperitoneal Chylous Leakage
Author(s) -
Marc M. DeHart,
William C. Lauerman,
Arthur H. Conely,
Richard Roettger,
James L. West,
James E. Cain
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
spine (philadelphia, pa. 1976)/spine
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.657
H-Index - 254
eISSN - 1528-1159
pISSN - 0362-2436
DOI - 10.1097/00007632-199403001-00012
Subject(s) - medicine , chylous ascites , chylothorax , retroperitoneal space , chyle , surgery , lymphatic system , lymph , ascites , parenteral nutrition , complication , pathology
Lymphatic complications are uncommon after spinal surgery. Postsurgical collections of lymph may result in chyloma, chylothorax, chylous ascites, or chyloretroperitoneum. Recommended treatment of chylothorax or chylous ascites includes drainage, and a low-fat diet using medium-chain triglyceride or total parenteral nutrition. The only reported case of chyloretroperitoneum concluded with a recommendation for retroperitoneal drainage. The authors present a series of three patients who underwent anterior spinal procedures complicated by retroperitoneal lymphatic injury. All three were treated without retroperitoneal drains, and at follow-up, none has shown any adverse sequelae from this method of treatment. The authors disagree with past recommendations for drainage of the retroperitoneal space because this may prolong drainage and deplete nutrition.