Treatment of persistent chylothorax after Norwood procedure with somatostatin

Surgical chylothorax in neonates: management and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Postoperative chylothorax occurs due to trauma to lymphatic vessels and can occur after any thoracic procedure. This study reviewed recent literature to evaluate the management and outcomes of surgical chylothorax in neonates.

METHODS

PubMed database was searched for articles in English, Portuguese and Spanish from 2000 to 2016. Data were collected for surgery, chylothorax management, complications, mortality and length of hospital stay (LOS).

RESULTS

Twenty studies offered 107 neonates: congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) (n = 76, 71%), cardiac malformations (n = 25, 23.4%), esophageal atresia (n = 5, 4.7%) and CDH + extralobar sequestration (n = 1, 0.9%). Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) was the initial treatment in 52 neonates (48.6%), prednisolone + MCT in one (0.9%), total parenteral nutrition in 51 patients (47.7%), and three patients (2.8%) did not require any treatment. Octreotide and somatostatin were used as second or third line treatment in 25 neonates (23.4%), and 15 neonates (14%) underwent 17 surgeries, including thoracic duct ligation (TDL) (n = 9); pleurodesis (n = 3) (2 patients required TDL); TDL + pleurodesis (n = 2), and TDL + placement of hemostat (n = 1). Complications due to the chylothorax were reported in 27 neonates (25.2%): hypoalbuminemia + hyponatremia (n = 18), hypoalbuminemia (n = 4), hypoalbuminemia with cutaneous flushing as colateral effect of somatostatin (n = 1), loose stool after somatostatin use (n = 1), pneumonia (n = 1), congestive heart failure + hypernatremia (n = 1), and hyponatremia (n = 1). There were 21 deaths (19.6%) and median LOS was 53.4 days (30-93.1 days).

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative management is appropriate as initial treatment for neonatal postsurgical chylothorax. Octreotide and somatostatin are safe in neonates and surgical approach should be considered in prolonged leaks.

Successful treatment of neonatal chylothorax with octreotide

Chylothorax is a relatively uncommon, but a common form of pleural effusion in the neonates. It may be either congenital or acquired. The efficacy of octreotide therapy for chylothorax is controversial. Herein the authors report successful suppression of chylothorax by octreotide in a newborn who had undergone thoracostomy tube.

Octreotide in the treatment of neonatal postoperative chylothorax: report of three cases and literature review

Chylothorax is a well-recognized complication after neonatal cardiothoracic surgery. Management strategies include cessation of enteral feedings, repeated aspiration, chest drainage, and total parenteral nutrition. Somatostatin and its analogue, octreotide, have been used with promising results. The authors present three cases of neonatal postoperative chylothorax in which octreotide was used. After literature review, we can say that octreotide is relatively safe, and may reduce clinical course and complications associated with neonatal postoperative chylothorax. One should be aware of possible association between octreotide and necrotizing enterocolitis. Prospective controlled trials supporting octreotide use are lacking.

Post-operative chylothorax in children: an evidence-based management algorithm

AIM

To develop an evidence-based algorithm for the therapeutic approach to the management of post-operative chylothorax.

METHODS

Review and analysis of published literature sourced from Medline from 1964-2007.

RESULTS

Understanding the pathophysiology of chylothorax and the anatomical structure of the thoracic duct assisted clinical decision making in the management of a patient with chylothorax. Treatment options for post-operative chlothorax include conservative management with medium chain triglyceride-enriched diet or total parenteral nutrition in combination with adequate drainage of pleural fluid, somatostatin or octreotide therapy or surgical intervention. Based on analysis of the available evidence an algorithm for therapeutic approach to the management of post-operative chylothorax has been developed.

CONCLUSION

Post-operative chylothorax is associated with significant morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. An evidence based algorithm to guide the therapeutic approach to management of post-operative chylolthorax is proposed.

Resolution of persistent late postoperative chylothorax after coil occlusion of aortopulmonary collaterals

We report on successful treatment of persistent late postoperative chylothorax with coil occlusion of significant aortopulmonary collaterals in a young infant with functionally univentricular heart after bidirectional cavopulmonary connection.

Octreotide and chylothorax

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article reviews the current literature concerning the role of somatostatin and its synthetic analogue, octreotide, in the treatment of chylothorax.

RECENT FINDINGS

Management of chylothorax includes evacuation of the pleural cavity through a chest tube to alleviate dyspnoea, and dietary fat restriction aimed at reducing lymph flow. When these measures fail to control lymph flow, surgical interventions are employed to achieve definite closure of the thoracic duct leak. Several case reports and series have shown that octreotide is safe and probably effective in both children and adults with chylothorax of different origins. The property of somatostatin and octreotide to induce leak closure is attributed to a decelerating effect on lymph flow, although their exact mechanism of action is not well defined. In successful cases, a substantial reduction of lymph drainage through the chest tube is evident within the first few days of commencing the drug, and treatment lasts for 1-2 weeks. Treatment failure has been also reported, however.

SUMMARY

Accumulating evidence suggests that octreotide is a putative novel therapeutic intervention for chylothorax. It is imperative that randomized controlled studies are conducted in order to fully elucidate the efficacy and safety of this treatment.

Octreotide efficacy in the treatment of chylothoraces following cardiac surgery in infants and children

OBJECTIVE

To examine the efficacy of octreotide in resolving chylothoraces in infants and children following cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

SETTING

Pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care center.

PATIENTS

All children who received octreotide for the treatment of chylothoraces following surgery for congenital heart disease over a 30-month period between 2001-2004.

INTERVENTIONS

Octreotide infusion.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Eight courses of octreotide treatment were identified in seven patients who met our inclusion criteria. The median duration of therapy was 5 days, and dosing ranged from 1 to 4 microg/kg/hr. Treatment did not result in an overall decrease in average chest tube output after 3 days of therapy. However, in two patients (29%) the chylothoraces ultimately resolved during the octreotide infusion. Treatment was well tolerated, and no serious side effects were noted.

CONCLUSION

In contrast to previously published reports, we find octreotide therapy for postoperative chylothoraces to be successful in only a minority of cases.

Somatostatin or octreotide as treatment options for chylothorax in young children: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Chylothorax is a rare but life-threatening condition in children. To date, there is no commonly accepted treatment protocol. Somatostatin and octreotide have recently been used for treating chylothorax in children. We set out to summarise the evidence on the efficacy and safety of somatostatin and octreotide in treating young children with chylothorax.

DESIGN

Systematic review: literature search (Cochrane Library, EMBASE and PubMed databases) and literature hand search of peer reviewed articles on the use of somatostatin and octreotide in childhood chylothorax.

PATIENTS

Thirty-five children treated for primary or secondary chylothorax (10/somatostatin, 25/octreotide) were found.

RESULTS

Ten of the 35 children had been given somatostatin, as i.v. infusion at a median dose of 204 microg/kg/day, for a median duration of 9.5 days. The remaining 25 children had received octreotide, either as an i.v. infusion at a median dose of 68 microg/kg/day over a median 7 days, or s.c. at a median dose of 40 microg/kg/day and a median duration of 17 days. Side effects such as cutaneous flush, nausea, loose stools, transient hypothyroidism, elevated liver function tests and strangulation-ileus (in a child with asplenia syndrome) were reported for somatostatin; transient abdominal distension, temporary hyperglycaemia and necrotising enterocolitis (in a child with aortic coarctation) for octreotide.

CONCLUSIONS

A positive treatment effect was evident for both somatostatin and octreotide in the majority of reports. Minor side effects have been reported, however caution should be exercised in patients with an increased risk of vascular compromise as to avoid serious side effects. Systematic clinical research is needed to establish treatment efficacy and to develop a safe treatment protocol.

Somatostatin for postoperative chylothorax after surgery for children with congenital heart disease

Chylothorax is a rare but serious postoperative condition with a high rate of morbidity that may lead to death of children with congenital heart disease. Here we reviewed nine consecutive cases with chylothorax in infants and children following cardiac surgery from March 2002 to February 2003. Somatostatin was added to conservative treatment protocol to increase effectiveness of therapy in all cases. The duration of somatostatin therapy varied from 7 to 32 days. All cases of chylothorax were successfully treated with intravenous infusion of somatostatin as an adjunctive treatment. Even though two cases showed rebound phenomena, we avoided any surgical procedure in the nine patients who treated with conservative management combined with somatostatin. No significant side effects of somatostatin were observed. It seems that somatostatin is effective, noninvasive and safe therapeutic modality. It can be used as an adjunctive treatment to conservative management to control postoperative chylothorax in children with congenital heart disease.

Tratamiento con somatostatina en cinco recién nacidos con quilotórax de diferentes etiologías

BACKGROUND

The addition of somatostatin to the conventional treatment of neonatal chylothorax has been described in isolated cases.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the results obtained in a series of five patients with neonatal chylothorax treated with somatostatin.

PATIENTS

Five neonates (gestational age range: 29-39 weeks) diagnosed with chylothorax of various etiologies were included. Chylothorax was congenital in two neonates, secondary to congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair in two neonates and secondary to thrombosis in the superior vein cava in one neonate. All the neonates were started on conservative therapy and intravenous somatostatin in distinct doses ranging from a bolus of 2 microg/kg/12 h to continuous perfusion at 10 microg/kg/h.

RESULTS

In all patients the chylous drainage was stopped. No adverse effects were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Somatostatin can be a safe and effective option in the treatment of both primary and secondary neonatal chylothorax refractory to conservative treatment.

Octreotide in the management of postoperative chylothorax

Chylothorax (KT) may be a complication of thoracic surgery. Its management is not well established and may comprise dietary interventions and surgery. The effectiveness of somatostatin and its analogues has been reported, although their mechanism(s) of action is unclear. We report our experience with octreotide in a series of patients with postoperative chylothorax. Eight patients with KT were treated with a continuous intravenous infusion of octreotide (OCT) at a starting dose of 0.5 microg/kg/hr. They were compared with four additional patients with KT who were treated according to the conventional approach. After a mean of 3.3 +/- 1.9 days of treatment, fluid discharge diminished dramatically. In all patients, fluid losses stopped by postoperative day 10.5 +/- 2.9 and chest tubes could be removed after 12.8 +/- 4.1 days. Compared to a small group of historical controls, OCT reduced significantly the total fluid losses (141.1 +/- 89.3 vs 396.7 +/- 151.0 ml/kg; p = 0.003) and the postoperative length of stay (p = 0.05). No patients in the group treated with OCT required parenteral nutrition (compared to all four of the controls; p = 0.002) and/or thoracenteses (compared to two of four controls). In postoperative KT, OCT seems to be at least as effective as the conventional approach. Furthermore, OCT may reduce total fluid losses and postoperative length of stay. This may have a beneficial effect on the risk of complications and on hospital costs.

Somatostatin for intractable postoperative chylothorax in a premature infant

A premature infant of 31 weeks' gestation underwent repair of an oesophageal atresia, distal tracheo-oesophageal fistula and anal stenosis. A lymphatic leak was noted at the time of surgery. Chylous drainage persisted and an intravenous infusion of somatostatin was begun. The volume of chyle drained fell dramatically within the first 24 h and was negligible by the 5th day of treatment. No reaccumulation of the chylothorax was seen after the cessation of somatostatin. To our knowledge this is the youngest reported child in whom somatostatin has been used successfully in treating a postoperative chylothorax.

Octreotide in the treatment of congenital chylothorax

Congenital chylothorax is the accumulation of lymphatic fluid within the pleural space. Cases unresponsive to conservative management usually require surgery. Octreotide has been used successfully to treat post-traumatic chylothoraces in the paediatric and adult population. Its exact mode of action is uncertain but it is believed to reduce lymphatic drainage by a direct action on splanchnic lymph flow. We report a case of congenital chylothorax where surgery was avoided with the compassionate trial of the somatostatin analogue, octreotide. Treatment was associated with prompt respiratory improvement prior to cessation of pleural drainage. Further studies are required to ascertain its true value in congenital chylothorax.

Management of newborn lymphangiectasia and chylothorax after cardiac surgery with octreotide infusion

Postoperative chylothorax compromises nutrition, immune function, coagulation, and fluid status. We report rapid short-term suppression of chylothorax by octreotide in an infant after surgery for complex congenital heart disease complicated by lymphangiectasia.

[Surgery for chylothorax]

Chyle is lymph fluid of intestinal origin containing fat digestion products. Chylothorax is produced by leaks from the thoracic duct or from one of its collaterals subsequent to valve incompetence. These leaks may be due to trauma (post-surgical chylothorax, the most frequent) or to spontaneous rupture of a lymph vessel distended by chyle reflux, the thoracic duct itself being pathological. When the thoracic duct is interrupted (obstruction, agenesis), chylothorax may occur from leakage due to reflux within substitution collateral pathways diverting the flow of chyle into the venoux confluents of the neck. Medical treatment is always attempted first: evacuation of chylothorax by drainage and fat-free diet or parenteral nutrition. Recently, treatment with octreotide has been found to be beneficial. Surgery consists in thoracic duct ligation or suture of leaking collaterals. In difficult cases, when the chyle leakage cannot be identified, pleurodesis is the only option.

Successful treatment with octreotide of spontaneous chylothorax in a premature infant

A 2-month-old premature infant developed a spontaneous chylothorax. Medical therapy (chest tube drainage, parenteral alimentation) and thoracic duct ligation at 103 days of age had no effect. Drainage ceased during an octreotide infusion. The effusion recurred after octreotide was stopped, and responded completely to a longer course of therapy. Octreotide offers a substantial advantage over current medical management to some babies with spontaneous chylothorax.