Case report reveals chylous drainage management following axillary lymphadenectomy for breast carcinoma.
A 56‐year‐old female patient, with no significant comorbidities, presented with abnormal breast exam findings. Imaging revealed a 5.4‐cm irregular nodule in the left breast, diagnosed as invasive breast carcinoma (NST, Grade 2). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was initiated, leading to a reduction in lesion size. Surgical intervention included quadrantectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, and axillary lymphadenectomy, which revealed residual carcinoma and positive lymph nodes. Postoperatively, chylous drainage through a Portovac drain was observed, prompting reoperation, during which the injured lymphatic duct was identified. Conservative management with medium‐chain triglycerides resulted in a progressive reduction of drainage. The patient was discharged on the 13th postoperative day, subsequently underwent adjuvant radiotherapy, and is currently receiving regular outpatient follow‐up.
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Ferreira et al. (2025) studied this question.
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