Chylothorax is a rare cause of pleural effusion, which can be divided into traumatic and non-traumatic causes. Often, the cause of a non-traumatic chylothorax is challenging. We report a young gentleman with idiopathic chylothorax who was diagnosed in a rural hospital with limited resources. This was confirmed on clinical presentation, pleural fluid analysis, CECT imaging and a diagnostic lymphangiogram. Contrast enhanced imaging did not reveal any secondary pathology. The chylothorax was subsequently drained and he was referred to a tertiary centre for definitive treatment. Managing chylothorax can be challenging in a rural setting due to the lack of relevant expertise and facilities. A timely diagnosis and treatment of chylothorax would require appropriate investigations to elucidate any underlying pathology and the lymphangiogram as a useful tool in diagnosis.
Cite this paper
Yee, K. C. K. , Hern, O. T. , Ching, N. Z. , Pillai, N. , Henry, A. and Chan, L. T. (2018). An Extraordinary Case of Idiopathic Chylothorax in a Rural Setting. Open Access Library Journal, 5, e4924. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1104924.
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