Post-Traumatic Chylous Wrist Effusion: A Case Report

Chylous joint effusion is a rare condition characterized by the presence of a milky, viscous synovial fluid with abnormal lipid concentrations. The thorax is the most common site of involvement. Only a handful of cases have been reported in the field of orthopedic surgery and even fewer have been reported involving uncommon locations such as the knee. Treatment of chylous joint effusion may require surgical intervention along with the use of somatostatin or octreotide and a low-fat diet. We present herein a case of post-traumatic chylous effusion in the wrist treated with surgical incision and drainage, octreotide, and a low-fat diet. There have been few reports of chylous effusion in the knee; however, to our knowledge, this is the first report of post-traumatic chylous effusion in the wrist.