[Chylous ascites following radical nephrectomy. Conservative management whithout paracentesis]

Chylous ascites is a rare complication after a number of abdominal and retroperitoneal surgeries. Althought conservative treatment may be curative, a reoperation to sell out the open megalymphatics in the operative field may be needed.

A 60 year-old woman was treated with a laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for a 9.5x7.5 cm, pT2 pN0 tumor. A carefull dissection of the renal hilium was performed, distal ureter was clipped and several gross peritumoral lymphatic vessels were clipped or coagulated, with no inmediate complications. Several days after being discharged home, she complained of increased abdominal perimeter and on image studies a difuse chylous ascitis was found. She was treated in a conservative way, with no diagnostic or palliative paracentesis, low salt and lipids diet, and espironolactone, with complete cure in a month. After six months of follow-up, no simptoms nor CT- signs of ascites or tumor recurred.

A conservative treatment, with diuretics, low lipids and salt diet, and eventually repeated paracentesis should be the first options for chylous ascites after nephrectomy. In the last years, several laparoscopic techniques had been described to treat chylous ascites in a low invasive way, but the intrinsic difficulties of such a re-operation much be considered.