Chyle Leakage after Esophageal Cancer Surgery

Abstract

Surgeons recommend dissecting lymph nodes in the thorax, abdomen, and neck during surgery for esophageal cancer because of the possibility of metastasis to the lymph nodes in those areas through the lymphatic plexus of the esophageal submucosal layer. Exten-sive lymph node dissection is essential for accurate staging and is thought to improve sur-vival. However, it can result in several complications, including chyle leakage, which refers to continuous lymphatic fluid leakage and can occur in the thorax, abdomen, and neck. Malnutrition, fluid imbalance, and immune compromise may result from chyle leakage, which can be potentially life-threatening if it persists. Therefore, various treatment meth-ods, including conservative treatment, pharmacological treatment such as octreotide in-fusion, and interventions such as thoracic duct embolization and surgical thoracic duct li-gation, have been applied. In this article, the risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment methods of chyle leakage after esophagectomy are reviewed.

Keywords

• chyle leakage
• esophageal neoplasms
• esophagectomy
• chylothorax
• chylo-peritoneum