A case report of chyle leakage after axillary node clearance in a patient with breast cancer

Chyle leakage is a rare postoperative complication of breast cancer, and conservative treatments should be prioritized, with careful monitoring of drainage volume and timely surgical intervention when conservative treatments are ineffective.

Chyle leaks following surgery for breast cancer are seldom encountered. Management varies with no consensus in the literature. This paper reports a case of a chylous leak after axillary dissection in a patient with breast cancer eventually cured with conservative treatment and discusses management options varied with both conservative and surgical options available to clinicians.