Quilotórax secundário à ruptura do ducto torácico em um cão

Abstract

Chylothorax is an uncommon illness in dogs and potentially fatal, in which occurs chyle leak to pleural space, leading to respiratory and metabolic compromise, and in some cases fibrosing pleuritis. Most observed clinical signs are cough, dyspnea, difficulty to hear heart and lung sounds on auscultation and exercise intolerance. Diagnosis is based on clinical features, cytologic and biochemical analysis from pleural effusion and thoracic radiography. Treatment consists primarily on surgical intervention by thoracic duct ligation in association to one or more techniques, such as pericardectomy, cisterna chyli ablation and omentalization. Therefore, this study aims to report a case of a dog diagnosed with chylothorax secondary to thoracic duct rupture by lymphangiography and submitted to thoracic duct ligation followed by transdiaphragmatic omentalization. The animal showed clinical positive clinical outcome and the post-operative image exams proved that this surgical technique successful.