Idiopathic congenital chylothorax presented with severe hydrops and treated with octreotide in term newborn

Abstract

Chylothorax is a relatively uncommon condition defined as an abnormal collection of lymphatic fluid within the pleural space. Morbidity of congenital chylothorax (CC) is high, and prognosis is very poor if chylothorax is associated with hydrops fetalis. The optimal treatment of CC has not been defined. Conservative treatment (low-fat high-protein diets with medium chain triglycerides, total parenteral nutrition, pleural drainage) and surgical intervention are performed. However, there is little experience with the use of octreotide therapy in this condition. We report a newborn with CC presented with severe non-immune hydrops and chylothorax resistant to mainly conservative treatment. The patient improved rapidly and the chylothorax disappeared with use of continuous administration of octreotide (10 μg/kg/per hour).