Abstract
Although pleural effusion is a rare cause of respiratory distress in newborns, being familiar with this disease is very important because of the generally favorable prognosis when the diagnosis is done early and therapy is prompt. We report a case of a full-term baby diagnosed with respiratory distress after 1 week of life. An X-ray of his chest showed a left pleural effusion. Moreover, a thoracentesis combined with a biochemical study of the pleural fluid confirmed the diagnosis of chylothorax. In our case, the conservative therapy was successful. The baby was followed up for a period of 6 months, with no evidence of recurrence. We have concluded, therefore, that conservative management should be the first line of treatment in chylothorax cases. If it does not work, a surgical approach might be considered.
Highlights
Congenital chylothorax is the accumulation of lymphatic fluid within the pleural space
Chylothorax is the accumulation of lymphatic fluid within the pleural space
It is believed that birth trauma may result in a tear of the major duct leading to persistent pleural effusion[3]
Summary
Neonatal Intensive Care Department, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Marrakech, Morocco; Research Team for Childhood, Health and Development, Marrakech School of Medicine, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco. Pleural effusion is a rare cause of respiratory distress in newborns, being familiar with this disease is very important because of the generally favorable prognosis when the diagnosis is done early and therapy is prompt. We report a case of a full-term baby diagnosed with respiratory distress after 1 week of life. An X-ray of his chest showed a left pleural effusion. A thoracentesis combined with a biochemical study of the pleural fluid confirmed the diagnosis of chylothorax. That conservative management should be the first line of treatment in chylothorax cases. If it does not work, a surgical approach might be considered
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