Bilateral chylothorax following total thyroidectomy with neck dissection for papillary thyroid cancer : case report

Abstract EN

Bilateral chylothorax is a rare entity that occurs after a thyroidectomy and neck dissection.

This rare condition can lead to severe morbidity, and potentially death, if not managed properly.

We report a rare complication of neck surgery and subsequent bilateral pleural effusion, regarding a 35-year-old female who presented at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in 2018 with shortness of breath and respiratory distress.

Particularly, the bilateral pleural effusion and related symptoms occurred one week after a total thyroidectomy with central and left lateral neck dissection.

Intraoperative findings, management and literature review will be discussed.