Always remember chylothorax

Chylothorax is a rare cause of pleural effusion in association with cardiovascular surgery. A 68-year-old man had a coronary artery bypass graft; 10 days after surgery, he had progressive shortness of breath and a massive left pleural effusion. After chylothorax was diagnosed, it was successfully treated with a thoracostomy tube and total parenteral nutrition. The patient had an uneventful recovery. Nutrition is the most important issue in the treatment of chylothorax. Once chylothorax is identified, nutritional support is the priority, since it will have an important role in the recovery of the patient. Besides our case, we hereby present a short review of the literature regarding the diagnosis and management of this rare entity.