Concomitancia de quilotórax y quiloascitis, caso clínico y revisión de la literatura: CASE REPORT AND REVIEW

Abstract

We report a case of a 69-year-old man with a long standing history of alcohol abuse, liver cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus and previous cholecystectomy, who was admitted with respiratory failure associated with severe ascites and left pleural effusion. Both fluids analysis were diagnostic for chylothorax and chylous ascites. There was no history of trauma or cancer. The images study did not show any tumour in the thoracic or abdominal cavity. The patient was discharged in stable conditions after being treated with depletive therapy and partial evacuation of both effusions, with a remarkable improvement in respiratory function. He was on fat free oral regimen. One month later, the patient was readmitted with severe respiratory failure due to fatal acute bilateral pneumonia. The autopsy showed damage and a leak in the abdominal thoracic duct likely related to previous abdominal surgery. The association between chylothorax and chyloperitoneum is extremely rare, usually associated with trauma, malignancy and postoperative complications but occasionally it may be due to liver cirrhosis, cardiac failure and nephritic syndrome