Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
103921 Legal Medicine 2010 4 Pages PDF
Abstract

Late-onset chylothorax is a relatively rare and essentially benign postoperative complication. We describe an autopsy case of undiagnosed hemi-chylothorax accompanied by fatal acute pulmonary thromboembolism after pulmonary resection and lymph node dissection for lung cancer, reviewing the literature. The patient was a 60-year-old woman. She complained of dyspnea on the 20th postoperative day, which gradually increased. The patient suddenly died 2 days later. Autopsy demonstrated right chylothorax (1000 ml), and fatal acute pulmonary thromboembolism, mainly on the left side, originating from the lower extremities. Postoperative chylothorax, causing respiratory and pulmonary circulatory disturbance, may provide an important predisposition to ward fatality due to pulmonary thromboembolism even among those showing a milder type; thus careful management is necessary.

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Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemistry Analytical Chemistry
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