Diagnosis and treatment of chylothorax after esophageal carcinoma operation

Objective: To investigate the prevention and treatments for chylothorax following esophagectomy.Methods: Restropective analysis was given to the clinical data of 17 cases with chylothorax following esophagectomy.Results: Chylothorax occurred in 17 cases of 1651 patients with post-esophagectomy,the incidence was 1.03%（17/1651）.Among them,6 cases received non-surgical management and the remaining 11 cases were subjected to surgical treatments,all patients were cured.（Conclusions:The） therapeutic principles of the chylothorax following esophagectomy are prevention and synthetic treatments.The efficacy of ligation of the thoracic duct above the diaphrenic level for treatment prevention of postoperative chylothorax is definitive and accurate.