Delayed Chyle Leak Following Anterior Cervical Spinal Surgery: A Case Report and Management Algorithm.

MedStar author(s):
Citation: Cureus. 9(5):e1231, 2017 May 09PMID: 28620562Institution: MedStar Washington Hospital CenterDepartment: NeurosurgeryForm of publication: Journal ArticleMedline article type(s): Journal ArticleSubject headings: PubMed-not-MEDLINE -- Not indexedYear: 2017ISSN:
  • 2168-8184
Name of journal: CureusAbstract: Injury to the thoracic duct during anterior cervical spine surgery is a rare occurrence. A delayed chyle leak following an elective anterior cervical spinal surgery has not been reported in the literature. We present a report of a 59-year-old female with multiple prior neck surgeries who underwent an anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF). The patient developed a delayed thoracic duct injury on postoperative day (POD) one, as no injury was noted intraoperatively. She was managed with conservative care involving a low-fat diet along with octreotide which led to the resolution of her symptoms. We present this case report because of its unique presentation and to assist spine surgeons with initial management. Surgeons should have increased awareness when performing anterior cervical approaches to the lower cervical and upper thoracic levels from the left side.All authors: Mueller K, Nair MN, Rhee JW, Syed HRFiscal year: FY2017Digital Object Identifier: Date added to catalog: 2017-06-22
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Journal Article MedStar Authors Catalog Article 28620562 Available 28620562

Injury to the thoracic duct during anterior cervical spine surgery is a rare occurrence. A delayed chyle leak following an elective anterior cervical spinal surgery has not been reported in the literature. We present a report of a 59-year-old female with multiple prior neck surgeries who underwent an anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF). The patient developed a delayed thoracic duct injury on postoperative day (POD) one, as no injury was noted intraoperatively. She was managed with conservative care involving a low-fat diet along with octreotide which led to the resolution of her symptoms. We present this case report because of its unique presentation and to assist spine surgeons with initial management. Surgeons should have increased awareness when performing anterior cervical approaches to the lower cervical and upper thoracic levels from the left side.

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