Complications of thyroid surgery: cervical thoracic duct injuries

Thoracic duct injury is uncommon in surgery of the neck: relatively more common after laryngeal and esophageal surgery, rare in thyroid surgery. From January 1986 to June 2009 were treated 14 patients with lesions of the cervical thoracic duct undergo surgery for thyroid disease: 4 goitre cervico-me...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Il Giornale di chirurgia 2010-10, Vol.31 (10), p.447-450
Main Authors: Avenia, N, Sanguinetti, A, Santoprete, S, Monacelli, M, Cirocchi, R, Lucchini, R, Galasse, S, Calzolari, F, Urbani, M, D'Ajello, F, Puma, F
Format: Article
Language:Italian
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neck
Thoracic Duct - injuries
Thyroidectomy - adverse effects
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Thoracic duct injury is uncommon in surgery of the neck: relatively more common after laryngeal and esophageal surgery, rare in thyroid surgery. From January 1986 to June 2009 were treated 14 patients with lesions of the cervical thoracic duct undergo surgery for thyroid disease: 4 goitre cervico-mediastinal and 10 total thyroidectomy for cancer, 9 of which have laterocervical left lymphadenectomy. In 2 cases, the intraoperative detection has allowed immediate ligature. In 12 patients a cervical chylous fistula without chilothorax was found: 5 low-flow fistulas and 7 high-flow fistulas. Of the 5 cases of low-flow fistula, 4 were recovered after 1 month of conservative treatment, only 1 patient required surgical correction. The 7 patients with high-flow fistula were undergoing surgery: 4 in the first week post-operative and 3 after a period of more than 30 days of medical therapy. In patients with high-flow fistula prolonged medical treatment does not provide benefit and increase the risk of complications during and after surgery.
ISSN:0391-9005