CHYLOTHORAX IN A POLYSPLENIA INFANT WITH COR-TRIATRIATUM, PULMONARY STENOSIS AND SICK SINUS SYNDROME

An infant with chylothorax and polysplenia is described. Her chylothor ax was refractory and related to right-sided heart failure derived fro m pulmonary stenosis, cor triatriatum, and sick sinus syndrome. In add ition to Brock operation and cardiac pacing, thoracic duct ligation wa s performed, but it resulted in an only transient amelioration of the chylothorax. Eventually, the chylothorax resolved when total cardiac r epair was performed for cor triatriatum. We propose that, in a patient with chylothorax and right-sided heart failure caused by compound car diac malformations, as in this patient early surgical treatment for th e underlying disease of right-sided heart failure should be considered .