İdiopatik Konjenital Şilotoraksli Bir Yenidoğan Olgusu A Case Of Congenital Idiopathic Chylothorax

Hydropsfetalis is defined as the presence of at least two of the conditions including skin edema, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, ascites, and polyhydramnios. Chylothorax is characterized by the accumulation of the chylous fluid within pleural space. The raised triglycerides and predominance of lymphocytes in pleural aspirate confirms the diagnosis. The prevalence of congenital chylothorax, which is the rare cause of hydropsfetalis, has been estimated as 1/10000 – 1/15000. The treatment is mainly conservative, unresponsive patients may require medical therapy and surgery. Idiopathic congenital chylothorax is usually transient and resolves by interruption of the thoracic lymphatic flow. Herein, we present a preterm infant with idiopathic congenital chylothorax in whom breast feeding was successfully achieved following a short term dietary modification. We suggest that in patients with idiopathic congenital chylothorax starting breast feeding at early period, meanwhile considering also the clinical condition and the amount of pleural drainage, may shorten the duration of hospitalization.