The use of lanreotide in the management of lymphorrhea after an aortic valve replacement

Abstract

Lymphorrhea is a rare but potentially serious complication following various surgical procedures. Uncontrolled lymph drainage may lead to infection and prolonged hospital stay. Currently, there is no standard effective treatment. Early management usually involves bed rest, drainage and pressure dressings. These methods are associated with prolonged recovery and high recurrence rates. We report a case of lymphorrhea from the groin wound after an aortic valve replacement. The patient presented with significant lymph drainage from the postoperative inguinal wound. Lymphorrhea was successfully treated with a long-acting somatostatin analogue, lanreotide. No recurrence was observed after 1 and 6 months of patient follow-up. This case report demonstrates the successful use of lanreotide in the control of lymphorrhea following groin dissection for vascular access. © 2012 The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.