Bilateral Chylothorax Due to Blunt Trauma Without Radiographic Evidence of Traumatic Injury

Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine
Mohamed MohamedDavid Betten

Abstract

Chylothorax represents an uncommon clinical entity with multiple etiologies. Chylothorax following blunt thoracic trauma is typically associated with posterior rib fractures or thoracic vertebral fractures or dislocations. The occurrence of a traumatic chylothorax in the absence of associated injuries is a rare event. We report a case of a 51-year-old patient who developed bilateral chylothorax after sustaining blunt trauma without radiographic evidence of traumatic injury. A 51-year-old male presented to the emergency department complaining of progressively worsening shortness of breath and associated chest pain for the prior one week following a fall down several concrete steps. On evaluation, the patient was found to have bilateral pleural effusions with no radiographic evidence of traumatic injury, including posterior rib or thoracic vertebral fractures. Subsequent thoracentesis and pleural fluid analysis were performed confirming the diagnosis of chylothorax. Management included repeated thoracentesis, diet modification and octreotide administration, which resulted in dramatic improvement and eventual resolution of symptoms. Non-iatrogenic traumatic bilateral chylothorax in the absence of other radiographically demonstrate...Continue Reading

References

Apr 5, 2003·The Journal of Emergency Medicine·Brian F Chinnock
Mar 10, 2009·Journal of Cardiac Surgery·Efstratios ApostolakisDimitrios Dougenis
Mar 12, 2013·Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology·Stephen AllisonSiddharth A Padia
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Jan 19, 2016·Injury·T G Pillay, B Singh

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Citations

Aug 11, 2020·The American Surgeon·William A Wallace, D Benjamin Christie
Oct 27, 2020·Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery : Official Organ, Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of India·Fahmi Hussein KakamadAbdulwahid Mohammed Salih
May 23, 2021·BMJ Case Reports·Parvez Mohi Ud Din DarSubodh Kumar

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
electrophoresis

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