Bilateral Chylothorax Following Total Thyroidectomy with Neck Dissection for Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

Bilateral chylothorax is a rare condition that occurs after a thyroidectomy and neck dissection, which can lead to severe morbidity and, potentially, death, if not managed properly. We report a rare complication of neck surgery and subsequent bilateral pleural effusion in a 35-year-old female patient who presented at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in 2018 with shortness of breath and respiratory distress. The bilateral pleural effusion and related symptoms occurred one week after a total thyroidectomy with central and left lateral neck dissection. The patient was managed conservatively and subsequently recovered.