
pmid: 24008957
Thoracic duct injury is a rare but serious complication following surgery of the neck or chest that leads to uncontrolled chyle leak. Conventional management includes drainage, nutritional modification, or aggressive surgical interventions such as thoracic duct ligation, flap coverage, fibrin glue, or talc pleurodesis; few successful medical therapeutics are available. We report a case of a high-output chylothorax refractory to aggressive medical and surgical interventions. Chyle output decreased substantially after initiating midodrine, an α1-adrenergic agonist that causes vasoconstriction of the lymph system, reducing chyle flow. This case report suggests that midodrine may be a novel therapeutic for refractory chyle leaks.
Esophageal Neoplasms, Adenocarcinoma, Middle Aged, Chylothorax, Thoracic Duct, Esophagectomy, Midodrine, Humans, Vasoconstrictor Agents, Female, Ligation, Follow-Up Studies
Esophageal Neoplasms, Adenocarcinoma, Middle Aged, Chylothorax, Thoracic Duct, Esophagectomy, Midodrine, Humans, Vasoconstrictor Agents, Female, Ligation, Follow-Up Studies
| citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 29 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
