A case of intractable plural effusion after surgery for uterine cancer due to intraoperative injury of lymphatic vessels in pelvic cavity

Yamaguchi Daisuke, Ito Atsushi, Kaneda Shinji, Kawaguchi Koji, Shimamoto Akira, Takao Motoshi

doi:10.2995/jacsurg.36.396

We present the case of a 64-year-old female patient who underwent total hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection due to uterine cancer. She suffered from dyspnea on post-operative day (POD) 5 and right pleural effusion was observed on a chest radiograph. After thoracocentesis, the plural effusion was not milky and there were no malignant findings. Although a right thoracic drain was placed on POD 10, the amount of discharge did not decrease.The subcutaneous injection of indocyanine green suggested the presence of a pleuroperitoneal communication. In addition, lymphatic scintigraphy showed lymphatic leakage in the pelvic cavity. Lipiodol lymphangiography of the inguinal lymph nodes was performed on POD 28. The pleural effusion then gradually decreased and the thoracic drain was removed on POD 35. At the last follow-up examination at 1 year after discharge, there were no signs of pleural effusion.The causes of right plural effusion in this case were pleuroperitoneal communication and injury of the lymphatic vessels due to lymph node dissection in the pelvic cavity. Whether the lymphatic leakage is chylous depends on the site of lymphatic vessel injury.

A case of intractable plural effusion after surgery for uterine cancer due to intraoperative injury of lymphatic vessels in pelvic cavity

Bibliographic Information

Search this article

Abstract

Journal

References(13)*help

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Export

Report a problem