Almoaidbellah Rammal1, Faisal Zawawi2, Rickul Varshney1, Michael P Hier1, Richard J Payne1, Alex M Mlynarek1. 1. Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. 2. Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: faisalzawawi@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Thyroidectomy is one of the common neck surgeries. Well recognized complications include postoperative bleeding, hypocalcaemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Chyle leak post-thyroidectomy is extremely rare. Most of the reported cases have had a complete central compartment neck dissection. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a case report of a patient who suffered from chyle leak after a left hemithyroidectomy without a complete central compartment neck dissection. The patient was managed conservatively with low fat diet and observation. A protocol for approaching thyroid patients with chyle leak is proposed based on a comprehensive literature review. CONCLUSION: Chyle leak post-thyroidectomy for a benign disease is a very rare complication. Nevertheless, head and neck surgeons should consider it in the differential diagnosis of neck swelling post-thyroidectomy.
BACKGROUND: Thyroidectomy is one of the common neck surgeries. Well recognized complications include postoperative bleeding, hypocalcaemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Chyle leak post-thyroidectomy is extremely rare. Most of the reported cases have had a complete central compartment neck dissection. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a case report of a patient who suffered from chyle leak after a left hemithyroidectomy without a complete central compartment neck dissection. The patient was managed conservatively with low fat diet and observation. A protocol for approaching thyroid patients with chyle leak is proposed based on a comprehensive literature review. CONCLUSION: Chyle leak post-thyroidectomy for a benign disease is a very rare complication. Nevertheless, head and neck surgeons should consider it in the differential diagnosis of neck swelling post-thyroidectomy.
Authors: C M Sommer; C C Pieper; F Offensperger; F Pan; H J Killguss; J Köninger; M Loos; T Hackert; M Wortmann; T D Do; G Maleux; G M Richter; H U Kauczor; J Kim; S Hur Journal: Langenbecks Arch Surg Date: 2021-04-12 Impact factor: 3.445