Introduction: Chylothorax is by definition a collection of lymphatic fluids in the pleural cavity because of leakage from main thoracic duct or its tributaries. It is an uncommon but serious postoperative complication in esophageal cancer patients. There is no standard therapeutic algorithm for chylothorax because no prospective or randomized trials have yet been performed to evaluate the available treatment options. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pleurodesis with a combination of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and fibrin glue to the treatment of chylothorax after trans-hiatal esophagectomy.
Materials and methods: We randomly allocated 52 consecutive esophageal cancer patients with postoperative chylothorax who did not respond to conservative management to either PRP fibrin glue pleurodesis or surgical thoracic duct ligation. 26 patients in each group were treated with PRP fibrin glue pleurodesis or surgical thoracic duct ligation in order to control chylothorax. Perioperative data, including success rate and complications of both interventions, were analyzed.
Results: Two groups were similar in terms of patients' demographics and tumor characteristics. All 26 patients in pleurodesis group (100%) and 20 patients in surgery group (76.9%) were successfully treated (p = 0.009). Seven patients (26.92%) in pleurodesis group required a second application of PRP fibrin glue after a week. The mean length of hospital stay was 53.50 ± 16.662 days in surgery group and 36.04 ± 8.224 days in pleurodesis group (p < 0.001). Although mortality rate in surgery group was higher than pleurodesis group, it was not statistically significant (p = 0.1621). There was no significant difference in complications between two groups either. No serious side effect occurred with PRP fibrin glue application.
Conclusion: In conclusion, pleurodesis using PRP and fibrin glue for chylothorax after trans-hiatal esophagectomy was associated with significantly increased success rate, decreased ICU stay, decreased overall hospital stay, and decreased mortality compared with surgical thoracic duct ligation. No patient after PRFG required additional intervention including surgery. Thus, given the improved outcomes with PRFG pleurodesis, this technique may be considered in all patients with postoperative chylothorax after or during conservative management and before proceeding to more invasive interventions.