A case of successful conservative treatment for chylous ascites after living-donor liver transplantation

Abstract

A 46-year-old man underwent living-donor liver transplantation and splenectomy for primary biliary cirrhosis. On postoperative day 22, cloudiness of ascites increased, and triglyceride concentration in ascites was as high as 1046 mg/dL. With a diagnosis of chylous ascites, total parenteral nutrition was started. Nine days after starting total parenteral nutrition, cloudiness of ascites decreased, and triglycerides in ascites decreased to 93 mg/dL. Oral intake was restarted, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 46. Chylous ascites is a rare complication after living-donor liver transplantation for which total parenteral nutrition may be useful.