Authors

• Ebrahim Ameri, MD
• Hasan Ghandhari, MD
• Navid Nabizadeh, MD
• Hamid Hesarikia, MD

Abstract

Chylothorax is a rare complication of spinal surgery. Leakage of chyle into the pleural space occasionally occurs during anterior spinal approach as a result of damage to the thoracic duct. We present a case of chylothorax which took place 24 hours after posterior spinal fusion owing to an unusual etiology. Fourteen years-old boy patient with history of congenital cervicothoracic kyphoscoliosis underwent T7-T12 anterior spinal fusion through left fifth rib resection. He got through Postoperative phase with no untoward consequence. After ten days he underwent T2-L3 posterior spinal fusion with hook instrumentation. Over the next day following this surgical step, he developed tachypnea with milky-color effusion. The biochemical analysis verified chylothorax diagnosis.

Keywords

• Chylothorax
• Thoracic duct
• Scoliosis
• Spinal Fusion
• Postoperative complications