Abstract
Chylous ascites is a form of ascites resulting from the leakage of lymph into the
peritoneal cavity, which is particularly rare in children, most common etiology being
an iatrogenic injury to lymphatics during surgery. Initial conservative management
options include medium-chain triglycerides-based diet, somatostatin analogs, and total
parenteral nutrition. If these fail, then interventions such as paracentesis with
sclerotherapy, surgical ligation, or peritoneal shunts have been described. This study
reports a case of a 7-year-old child with refractory chylous ascites to demonstrate
a minimally invasive technique of intranodal lymphangiography with lipiodol as a viable
treatment option for chylous ascites in children, particularly in cases of minor and
undetectable leaks.
Keywords
Chylous ascites - intranodal lymphangiography - therapeutic