Lymphography and embolization of the thoracic duct as a treatment for chylothorax after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

Leandre Farran; Mónica Miró; Esther Alba; Oriana Barrios; Jonathan Joudanin; Fernando Estremiana; Carla Bettónica; Humberto Aranda

doi:10.1016/j.ciresp.2020.05.015

Lymphography and embolization of the thoracic duct as a treatment for chylothorax after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

Cir Esp (Engl Ed). 2021 Mar;99(3):208-214. doi: 10.1016/j.ciresp.2020.05.015. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

[Article in English, Spanish]

Authors

Leandre Farran¹, Mónica Miró², Esther Alba³, Oriana Barrios², Jonathan Joudanin³, Fernando Estremiana², Carla Bettónica², Humberto Aranda²

Affiliations

¹ Unitat de Cirurgia Esofagogàstrica, Servei de Cirurgia General i Aparell Digestiu, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, España. Electronic address: lfarran@bellvitgehospital.cat.
² Unitat de Cirurgia Esofagogàstrica, Servei de Cirurgia General i Aparell Digestiu, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, España.
³ Unitat Angiorradiologia, Servei de Radiologia, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, España.

PMID: 32600647
DOI: 10.1016/j.ciresp.2020.05.015

Abstract

Introduction: Chylothorax is a rare complication in esophagectomies that is associated with increased postoperative mortality. Several factors have been described that may favor its appearance. Its treatment is controversial, and lymphography with percutaneous embolization of the thoracic duct is used by several groups.

Material and method: Our retrospective study included patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer of the esophagus or the esophagogastric junction (Siewert I/II) between January 2010 and April 2019 and developed chylothorax as a complication. Epidemiological data, type of surgery, morbidity and treatment were analyzed.

Results: 274 cancer-related esophagectomies were performed in the study period. Thirteen patients (4.7%) were diagnosed with chylothorax in the postoperative period; 3 were resolved with conservative treatment. In the remaining 10 patients, lymphography was performed with aspiration of the cisterna chyli and thoracic duct embolization, which resolved the chylothorax in 9. One patient (10%) presented a biliary fístula after the procedure.

Conclusions: Lymphography with aspiration of the cisterna chyli and thoracic duct embolization is a technique with low morbidity that provides good results for the resolution of chylothorax after esophagectomy.

Keywords: Chylothorax; Embolización; Embolization; Esofagectomía; Esophagectomy; Linfografía; Lymphography; Quilotórax.