Chylothorax
Background
- Lymphatic fluid in pleural space
- Due to disruption or obstruction of the thoracic duct
- Causes:
- Malignancy (50%), especially lymphoma
- Trauma (including iatrogenic)
- Cirrhosis
- Tuberculosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Amyloidosis
- Filariasis
- Idiopathic
Clinical Features
Differential Diagnosis
Evaluation
- Thoracentesis with fluid:
- Triglycerides
- Cholesterol
- LDH
- Protein
- Culture and gram stain
- Cell differential and count
- Serum LDH and total protein comparison