[Nutritional support in chylothorax secondary to lymphoma]

Chylothorax is a well-known, albeit infrequent, complication in certain neoplasias including lymphomas. The continuing loss of chyle leads to a profound deterioration in patients' nutritional and immunological status, prevented only by appropriate early nutritional support. There is currently some dispute over its handling, particularly with regard to the most appropriate type of nutritional support and the suitability of conservative treatment versus surgery. The present paper describes the case of a 41-year-old patient diagnosed as having secondary chylothorax following B-cell lymphoma where mixed nutritional support (fat-free enteral nutrition by mouth and total parenteral nutrition) was given, followed by talc pleurodesis, with optimal results. There is a review of the literature and a discussion of the most controversial aspects of its management.