Biomaterial Database

Thoracic duct injuries. 1977

W K Stubbs, and H G Tabb

Chylous fistulas are an infrequent result of injury to the thoracic duct during radical neck dissection. Leakage of lymph from a fistula which is allowed to persist will cause such serious postoperative problems as metabolic deficiencies, flap elevation, suture breakdown with hemorrhage, and infection. There appears to be no valid justification for extended conservative management if it fails to slow the leak within 48 hours. We recommend prompt exploration of the wound with an operating microscope and microsurgical ligation of the lacerated duct with nonabsorbable sutures.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D005260	Female		Females
D005402	Fistula	Abnormal communication most commonly seen between two internal organs, or between an internal organ and the surface of the body.	Fistulas
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D013514	Surgical Procedures, Operative	Operations carried out for the correction of deformities and defects, repair of injuries, and diagnosis and cure of certain diseases. (Taber, 18th ed.).	Surgical Procedures,Ghost Surgery,Operative Procedures,Operative Surgical Procedure,Operative Surgical Procedures,Procedure, Operative Surgical,Procedures, Operative Surgical,Surgery, Ghost,Surgical Procedure, Operative,Operative Procedure,Procedure, Operative,Procedure, Surgical,Procedures, Operative,Procedures, Surgical,Surgical Procedure
D013897	Thoracic Duct	The largest lymphatic vessel that passes through the chest and drains into the SUBCLAVIAN VEIN.	Cisterna Chyli,Chyli, Cisterna,Chylus, Cisterna,Cisterna Chylus,Duct, Thoracic,Ducts, Thoracic,Thoracic Ducts
D037981	Neck Dissection	Dissection in the neck to remove all disease tissues including cervical LYMPH NODES and to leave an adequate margin of normal tissue. This type of surgery is usually used in tumors or cervical metastases in the head and neck. The prototype of neck dissection is the radical neck dissection described by Crile in 1906.	Radical Neck Dissection,Dissection, Neck,Dissection, Radical Neck,Dissections, Neck,Dissections, Radical Neck,Neck Dissection, Radical,Neck Dissections,Neck Dissections, Radical,Radical Neck Dissections