Introduction: A chylous effusion, or chylothorax, is a collection of milky fluid consisting of emulsified fats that has accumulated in the pleural space due to extravasation from lymphatic vessels, mainly the thoracic duct. There are three main etiologies of chylothorax-traumatic, non-traumatic, and idiopathic. Non-traumatic chylothorax is typically associated with malignancy, though an association with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is very rarely seen or reported.Case Report: A 92-year-old woman with atrial fibrillation and CLL presented to the cancer center with the complaint of worsening shortness of breath exacerbated by exertion. Her symptoms were associated with orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and bilateral swelling in her lower extremities. She was hospitalized and found to have a pleural effusion, believed to be due to congestive heart failure. Despite therapy with diuretics, her symptoms persisted requiring thoracentesis. It was at this time that the fluid analysis revealed a triglyceride count consistent with chylothorax. Her history was inconsistent with any common etiology for the development of chylothorax, without a history of recent surgery, recent trauma, or solid tumors. This raised suspicion that her CLL may be the cause. Less than a month later, her CLL
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.