Management of thoracic duct complex lesions (chylothorax): experience in 16 patients.

From our experience in 16 patients with persistent chylothorax from fistulas of thethoracic duct or its tributaries, we conclude that no standard treatment is uniformlysuccessful and multimodality therapy should be considered. In selected patients, ananastomosis between ectatic lymphatics or hyperplastic lymph nodes and an adjacent veinmay be attempted.