Successful treatment of postretroperitoneal lymph node dissection in massive chylous ascites.

Abstract

A rare complication of retroperitoneal surgery is damage to lymphatic vessels, leak of chyle and the development of chylous ascites. This complication can be life threatening and has a relatively high mortality rate. We describe a 38-year-old patient with a massive chylous ascites after extensive retroperitoneal lymph node dissection of metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor. The patient was treated surgically and with fat-free diet, medium chain triglycerides and diuretics resulting in complete resolution of the ascites.