Chylothorax is characterized by pleural fluid containing chylomicrons and triglyceride levels higher than 110 mg/dL; the etiology may be congenital or acquired, benign or malignant, including venous thrombosis, inflammatory conditions, neoplasms, sarcoidosis, retrosternal goitre, amyloidosis, the yellow nail syndrome, and traumatisms1-8. Traumatic chylothorax, being iatrogenic or not, is uncommon (0.2-3%) and the second type is rarer. The first choice of treatment in up to 80% of patient is conservative with nil per os, parenteral nutrition, or enteral elemental diet and medium-chain triglycerides with good results in at least 50% of cases; surgery, pleurodesis, and lymphatic embolization are other options 1-8.
