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A chylothorax is a type of pleural effusion
Pleural effusion

Pleural effusion is excess fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity, the fluid-filled space that surrounds the lungs. Excessive amounts of such fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs during inhalation....
. It results from lymphatic fluid accumulating in the pleural cavity
Pleural cavity

In human anatomy, the pleural cavity is the body cavity that surrounds the lungs. The lungs are surrounded by the pleurae, a serous membrane which folds back upon itself to form a two-layered, membrane structure....
.

cause is usually leakage from the thoracic duct
Thoracic duct

In human anatomy, the thoracic duct is an important part of the lymphatic system—it is the largest lymphatic vessel in the body. It is also known under various other names including the alimentary duct, chyliferous duct, duct of Pecquet, the left lymphatic duct and Van Hoorne's canal....
 or one of the main lymphatic vessels that drain to it. The most common causes are lymphoma
Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes of the immune system. They often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node ....
 and trauma
Physical trauma

Physical trauma refers to a body injury. A trauma patient is someone who has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury with the potential for secondary complications such as Shock , respiratory failure and death....
 caused by thoracic surgery. The effusion is characteristically white and milky in appearance and contains high levels of triglycerides.

In animals, chylothorax usually results from diseases that cause obstruction to the thoracic duct preventing lymph from draining normally into the venous system.






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A chylothorax is a type of pleural effusion
Pleural effusion

Pleural effusion is excess fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity, the fluid-filled space that surrounds the lungs. Excessive amounts of such fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs during inhalation....
. It results from lymphatic fluid accumulating in the pleural cavity
Pleural cavity

In human anatomy, the pleural cavity is the body cavity that surrounds the lungs. The lungs are surrounded by the pleurae, a serous membrane which folds back upon itself to form a two-layered, membrane structure....
.

Causes

Its cause is usually leakage from the thoracic duct
Thoracic duct

In human anatomy, the thoracic duct is an important part of the lymphatic system—it is the largest lymphatic vessel in the body. It is also known under various other names including the alimentary duct, chyliferous duct, duct of Pecquet, the left lymphatic duct and Van Hoorne's canal....
 or one of the main lymphatic vessels that drain to it. The most common causes are lymphoma
Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes of the immune system. They often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node ....
 and trauma
Physical trauma

Physical trauma refers to a body injury. A trauma patient is someone who has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury with the potential for secondary complications such as Shock , respiratory failure and death....
 caused by thoracic surgery. The effusion is characteristically white and milky in appearance and contains high levels of triglycerides.

In animals, chylothorax usually results from diseases that cause obstruction to the thoracic duct preventing lymph from draining normally into the venous system. Examples include tumors, heartworm disease, right sided cardiac failure, or idiopathic lymphangiectasia
Lymphangiectasia

Lymphangiectasia is an intestine disease of dogs, and more rarely humans, characterized by lymphatic vessel dilation, chronic diarrhea and loss of proteins such as serum albumin and globulin....
. Until recently, the most effective form of treatment has been surgical ligation of the thoracic duct combined with partial pericardectomy.

The Morris Animal Foundation has recently funded research at the University of Wisconsin, led by Jonathan F. McAnulty, DVM, PhD into alternative surgery techniques to more effectively fight this disease. The research team was able to achieve success rates of up to 80 percent using new procedures. Dogs that didn’t respond to one of the procedures often had good success with the other. These new approaches hold promise for owners of dogs with this deadly disease. The study also provided new information that can be used to further develop and refine these surgical procedures and increase their success rates.

See also

  • Pleural effusion
    Pleural effusion

    Pleural effusion is excess fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity, the fluid-filled space that surrounds the lungs. Excessive amounts of such fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs during inhalation....


External links

  • University of Wisconsin: http://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/dss/ChyloThoraxTrial/page5.php
  • Morris Animal Foundation: http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/ada_studies.php?col=study&val=179