Treatment of Chylothorax After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Abstract

Chylothorax after coronary artery bypass grafting is a rare complication. The treatment protocol is not well described because of its rarity. The current treatment options for chylothorax include conservative medical treatment or an interventional approach (ie, thoracic duct embolization or surgical ligation of the thoracic duct). With high chest tube output, medical treatment has a high failure rate, and early embolization or surgical ligation of the thoracic duct should be considered to reduce hospital stay cost and morbidity. This report presents 2 cases of chylothorax after coronary artery bypass grafting with different treatment approaches.