Compressive chylothorax after lumbar spine fracture

• Published in: Archives de pédiatrie : organe officiel de la Société française de pédiatrie Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 168 - 170
• Main Authors: Meignan, P., Lakhal, W., Binet, A., Le Touze, A., De Courtivron, B., Lardy, H., Bonnard, C., Odent, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier Masson SAS 01.04.2019
• Subjects: Accidental Falls; Adolescent; Blunt trauma; Chylothorax; Chylothorax - diagnostic imaging; Chylothorax - etiology; Drainage; Fractures, Compression - complications; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae - injuries; Male; Pediatrics; Spinal Fractures - complications; Spine fracture; Thoracic Injuries - complications; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Wounds, Nonpenetrating - complications; Pediatrics; Blunt trauma; Spine fracture; Chylothorax
• ISSN: 0929-693X; 1769-664X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arcped.2019.02.012

A 14-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital after an episode of blunt trauma to the thorax, resulting in a Chance fracture of L1 and a compressive chylothorax 72h after admission. After initial drainage in the operating room, conservative management was successful. This case study documents one of the rare complications of spinal fractures in the context of high-energy blunt trauma. It is the first detailing a noniatrogenic post-traumatic compressive chylothorax in pediatrics responding positively to conservative management. Drainage should be considered the first-line procedure for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Surgery is required if the leakage is still present after parenteral feeding and the implementation of a fat-free diet for 5–7 days.