Introduction: Thoracic Duct Laceration can be caused by a couple different mechanisms. These mechanisms can be broken down to nontraumatic and traumatic. According to the article, Treating a Thoracic Duct Injury, "The most common cause of thoracic duct injury is lymphoma (causing about 60 percent of all cases)." (Treating a Thoracic Duct Injury, 2005). The article goes on to say, "The second most common cause of a thoracic duct injury is trauma. In most cases, the thoracic duct has been injured during surgery. Experts say it is very easy for surgeons to accidentally nick the thoracic duct because the vessel is tiny and very difficult to see." (Treating a Thoracic Duct Injury, 2005). The thoracic duct is hard to find even when you are looking directly for it so during surgery it is very easy to accidentally damage. Treatments for a thoracic duct laceration can range from conservative to surgery where surgery is the last resort.
Case Description:…show more content… After his surgery he started to have trouble breathing, chest pain, a cough and a heavy feeling in his chest (Heffner, 2014). He was sent for imaging and the results revealed a pleural effusion. After that, lab tests and pleural fluid tests were ordered. The patient's cell count revealed a high concentration of lymphocytes and the lipid analysis revealed a pleural fluid triglyceride level of 112 mg/dL (Heffner, 2014). Chest computed tomography and lymphangiography was then used to find out exactly where the fluid was coming from. The patient was then diagnosed with a laceration of the thoracic duct causing