Postoperative External Transabdominal Severe Lymphorrea (Case Report)

Abstract

Massive lymphorrhea can cause severe dysfunction of organs and systems and result in death due to loss of vital metabolites from the bodyAim. To demonstrate low efficacy of conservative therapy and late lymph duct ligation in continuous massive postoperative lymphorrhea.Results. We treated a patient with previous subtotal gastric resection with single-plane pancreatic resection, D2 lymph node dissection, peritoneal draining due to poorly differentiated carcinoma in the lower third of stomach and total hysterectomy who developed external lymphorrhea through peritoneal drainage tubes 3 days after surgery. A fat-rich diet, endolymphatic sodium etamsylate administration, and lymphatic duct ligation were not successful in terminating the lymph leakage. Despite the intensive care including extracorporeal detoxification, the multi-organ failure progressed and on day 28 after the surgery the patient was pronounced dead.Conclusion. Damage to lymph ducts and lymph nodes can be complicated by massive lymphorrhea. If the source of lymphorrhea can be identified, an urgent surgical intervention is warranted to stop the lymph leakage, as well as the restoration of homeostasis to replenish the lost metabolites and prevent death of the patient.

Keywords

• lymphorrhea
• capillary leakage syndrome
• lymphocytopenia
• hypoproteinemia
• endolymphatic therapy to control lymphorrhea