Cirrhosis of the liver associated with chylothorax

Abstract

A chylothorax occurs when the thoracic duct is disrupted and chyle accumulates in the pleural space. Thoracentesis reveals milky fluid and biochemical analysis reveals a triglyceride level that exceeds 110 mg/dl. Chylothorax is a rare and apparently underappreciated manifestation of cirrhosis resulting from transdiaphragmatic passage of chylous ascites. Pleural effusions from all cirrhotic patients were transudates according to the criteria of Light et al. We report a case of chylothorax due to liver cirrhosis.