[Successful Identification of Thoracic Duct with Tumor-related Chylothorax by Fluorescence Imaging with Indocyanine Green via Inguinal Lymph Node].

Abstract

A 60-year-old woman underwent treatment for breast cancer. She underwent thoracic drainage and was treated with dietary restriction for tumor-related chylothorax. However, after a lack of improvement, she underwent surgical ligation of the thoracic duct. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence with inguinal lymph node puncture was used to identify the thoracic duct. This technique was effective in intraoperatively identifying the main and collateral branches of the thoracic duct. Inguinal lymph node puncture is a simple procedure. Because the presence of collateral branches is a factor in the failure of thoracic duct ligation, this method, which can also identify the collateral branches of the thoracic duct during surgery, may increase the success rate of thoracic duct ligation.