CHYLOTHORAX AS A COMPLICATION OF RADICAL NEPHRECTOMY

We report a case of chylo-retroperitoneum and chylothorax following an uneventful left radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma, and pro pose the mechanism of an infradiaphragmatic lymphatic injury with fist ulous connection into the chest. Treatment with oral medium chain trig lycerides was unsuccessful. Subsequently, total parenteral nutrition i n conjunction with chest drainage, retroperitoneal drainage and sclero therapy successfully treated the chylothorax. To our knowledge chyloth orax following radical nephrectomy has not been reported previously in the literature.