Neonatal chylothorax: a report and discussion of nine consecutive cases

Abstract

We here report the clinical findings and management of 9 consecutive cases of chylothorax, 5 of which occurred spontaneously. One cases followed cardiac surgery. Three cases occurred in low-birth-weight, premature infants concurrently with other symptoms of the superior vena cava syndrome secondary to central intravenous nutrition. To our knowledge, this is the first description of chylothorax as a possible complication of total parenteral nutrition in newborn babies. In our treatment of chylothorax in the newborn, we employed diagnostic thoracentesis followed by chest tube drainage and a medium chain triglyceride diet.