Massive Chylorrhea following Total Thyroidectomy and Neck Dissection

Chylorrhea, following thyroid surgery, is a known complication mentioned in the literature, but massive chylorrhea is uncommonly encountered. Here, we report two such cases of thyroid malignancy (papillary carcinoma) where the patient developed massive chylorrhea following total thyroidectomy and neck dissection, one of whom underwent tracheal resection and anastomosis in addition. The patient, in whom only total thyroidectomy and neck dissection was done, developed encysted chyloma postoperatively which was managed surgically. The other patient who underwent neck exploration twice for his chylorrhea but later developed septicemia and succumbed to it. Development of chyloma following neck surgery is not a common entity, very few cases have been reported.