Background: Chylothorax after lung cancer surgery is relatively rare but must be considered as a complication of thoracic surgery.
Method: Between January 2012 and June 2017, 818 patients underwent lung cancer surgery at our hospital. Among them, 14 (1.7%) patients with chylothorax were retrospectively reviewed. Three patients were treated with oral intake cessation except water and total parental nutrition( TPN)[TPN group], 11 patients were treated with a fat-free diet( fat-free diet group).
Results: The drainage period was similar in both group [group TPN;13 (12~14) days and group fat-free diet;15.7 (6~42) days]. In the TPN group, 3 patients underwent pleurodesis and no patient needed surgical intervention. In the fat-free diet group, 5 patients improved only with diet management. Pleurodesis was necessary in 5 of which 3 underwent surgical intervention.
Conclusions: A fat-free diet is useful in treating chylothorax after lung cancer surgery.