Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2025

Local Anesthetic Thoracoscopy for Undiagnosed Pleural Effusion
Published on: November 10, 2023
Coil or Plug-Assisted Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer (EVOH) Thoracic Duct Embolization in the Treatment of
Nasrin Fatemi1, Aram Lee1, Jonathan Kessler1
1Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, City of Hope, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California.
Abstract:
Eleven patients (5 men, 6 women) with post-operative thoracic duct injuries and high output chylothorax were treated with thoracic duct embolization (TDE). Six patients underwent intraprocedural thoracic duct ligation at the time of original procedure. In all cases, the pleural fluid demonstrated high triglyceride levels (414 mg/dL; interquartile range [IQR], 345 mg/dL). Median daily (IQR) chest tube outputs before and after TDE were 900 mL (1,200 mL) and 325 mL (630 mL), respectively. Coil- or plug-assisted ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymer was used as embolic agent in all patients. Technical and clinical success rates were 100% and 82%, respectively. Nontarget venous embolization of EVOH copolymer was not identified on subsequent imaging.
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