Preventing of chylothorax after oesophagectomy by routine pre-operative administration of oral cream

The anatomy of the thoracic duct varies considerably. This can make it difficult to locate during oesophageal surgery, especially in the fasted patient. We describe the technique of administering cream orally before primary oesophageal surgery, to aid in the identification of the thoracic duct. The duct along with other lymphatic channels can then be ligated as appropriate, helping to reduce the incidence of post-operative chylothorax.